FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
Off-Duty EPD Officer Involved in Serious Accident
An off-duty Evansville Police Department officer was involved in a life-threatening vehicle accident this morning in Warrick County. The officer is receiving medical treatment, and their condition is being closely monitored.
At this time, we ask for privacy for the officer and their family as they navigate this difficult situation. On behalf of the officer and their family, we thank you for your understanding and support. We will provide updates once it is appropriate to do so.
Last second three gives Trailblazers win over John A. Logan to begin Region 24 play
Last second three gives Trailblazers win over John A. Logan to begin Region 24 play
VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Trailblazers opened Region 24 play Wednesday inside the Physical Education Complex with another tough showdown with the Volunteers of John A. Logan College from Carterville, Ill.
The game was back-and-forth, tough and physical all night with the Trailblazers gaining the edge late with a three-pointer by sophomore and 2024 NJCAA All-American Lebron Thomas (Bishopville, S.C.) with 10.3 second remaining to push the Blazers ahead for the 78-77 victory.
The game was back-and-forth right from the start with the two teams trading baskets throughout the opening minutes of the game before the Trailblazers first broke away with an 8-0 scoring run to take a 23-18 lead.
The Volunteers quickly answered back to regain the lead before VU outscored John A. Logan 12-3 to build a 37-30 lead.
John A. Logan battled back to even the score at 37-37 before Vincennes scored six straight points.
The Volunteers got a put back at the buzzer to cut the Vincennes lead down to 43-39 heading into the halftime break.
Coming out of the locker room break the two teams once again traded baskets before Vincennes grabbed the early advantage with six straight points to take a 56-51 lead.
John A. Logan would slowly chip away at this lead, erasing the deficit to take a 64-63 lead.
The lead changed hands 13 times Wednesday night with the score being tied 12 times during the game.
The Trailblazers played from behind for most of the final stretch of the game, tying the game with a big three-point play by sophomore Michael Cooper (Minneapolis, Minn.).
After a John A. Logan basket, Vincennes came out of a timeout and connected on a last second three by Lebron Thomas with 10.3 second remaining to put VU ahead 78-77.
The Trailblazers held strong on defense in the last seconds, not allowing the Volunteers a second look at the basket at the buzzer as VU comes away with the 78-77 victory to open Region 24 play.
“We made one more play, that’s it,” VU Hall of Fame Head Coach Tood Franklin said. “At the end of the day, I thought it was a high quality game. Both of us have places that we are both going to want to improve in the next couple of months. That was the best I’ve seen them. Coach Smithpeters had them ready but I anticipated that. One way was because they were more patient. You see that sometimes when you see teams play us and you watch the film of the games before, one thing when they get against us that you are going to see is them be more patient. They will run their stuff longer and harder, so you don’t get a lot of the cheap stops that you’ll see watching on film. I try to stress that to our guys. Everybody is going to try to get us and everybody is going to know that to break us down they are going to have to do those things and the players are willing. You are going to see a different player because of that and you saw that tonight.”
“We’ve watched Logan on film the last couple of weeks, they are getting better, but they weren’t grinding like that,” Franklin added. “Now, we’ve got to do a better job of moving our feet, executing on those elbow screens. We knew it was coming, there weren’t any mysteries. But we got out executed a little bit in the second half. But we’ll work at that.”
“I thought that Logan played well in the second half,” Franklin said. “Us getting into immediate foul trouble to start the second half, that’s no small thing. We basically took Kenaz out where he didn’t play because of that. I’m not sure he ever hit anybody hard enough to crack an egg tonight. We got seven fouls early, I’m not sure if we could have combined all of the contact that led to those fouls, if it would have cracked a good egg. The first half, I thought, was a pretty physical, we’re going at it type of game. To start the second half, there we were and that played into exactly what they wanted to do. We knew what it was and what they went and did. I thought we blew a few assignments.”
“We let Smith come back on a spin twice,” Franklin added. “He spun back to his right hand and got five points and we know he’s going to finish back right. Things like that, hopefully we will clean up as we go into the second half of the year where we’ll be better and more disciplined in those moments. All of those things matter and they matter a lot.”
“We didn’t box out as hard as we needed to in the second half,” Franklin said. “I said that’s on me. You have finals this week and things, sometimes you can only practice so many things as intently as you need to and we probably haven’t spent enough time because we’ve been rebounding fairly well. I thought we started giving up too many offensive rebounds. We out rebounded them on the game but we did not do a good job of putting a body on a body, finding them and hitting them first in the second half. They did a better job of hitting the glass than we did, so tip your hat to them. But we’ll see if we can’t be better than that next time.”
Vincennes was led offensively by Michael Cooper who finished his night with 27 points, including hitting a perfect seven of seven from the free throw line.
Lebron Thomas closed out his night with another strong all around performance with 24 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Sophomore Bryan Akanmu (Paris, France) just missed out on a double-double with eight points and eight rebounds, while freshman Ali Sakho (Toronto, Ontario) came up with some big first half offensive rebounds to finish with eight points and four rebounds.
“Obviously offensively Lebron and Michael made big plays and shots that you’ve got to do if you are going to win ball games like this,” Franklin said. “I thought Ali gave us some good minutes in the first half. He’s not anywhere near in shape and hopefully he will be a better player in the second half of the year.”
“I thought Darstin gave us really good minutes in the first half,” Franklin added. “I thought he picked our intensity up on defense greatly. And again, we’ve played a lot of times without either one of those guys. We’ve been playing with a limited roll here for a little bit to start out. Not only are we new and putting it together but a lot of these guys haven’t played and Travelle is not playing now. He’s another big 6-foot-5 wing that we could have used tonight. He was eligible to go but he hasn’t been back practicing hard enough long enough for me to put him in there right now. But hopefully as the season progresses, he’s a guy that would help us, if he’s right, in that situation.”
“It’s a high quality game,” Franklin said. “They played well. Logan came in here and said hey, it’s District time. They’ve played tough teams to get ready and here it is, let’s get after it. I thought we had chances to push them down a bit in the first half and didn’t. Then in the start of the second half with the fouls and those things it just didn’t bode well for us. We had to find some things down the stretch to pull it out but at the end of the day, we did.”
“Consecutive wins over Logan and Triton now, that’s come a long way in a month,” Franklin added. “We’ve just got to keep chugging and we’ll see what we can do at Lincoln Trail on Saturday.”
The Trailblazers will look to continue this momentum as they get set to hit the road Saturday, Dec. 14 for another tough Region 24 contest against Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Ill. Tip-off time for that game is set for 4 p.m. eastern.
Vincennes will then close out the 2024 portion of their schedule Saturday, Dec. 21 when VU heads up to Chicago, Ill. for another contest against Malcolm X College at 4 p.m. eastern.
The Trailblazers defeated the Hawks 87-66 earlier this season inside the P.E. Complex on Hurricane Relief Night.
“We hope to move our feet better and box out better,” Franklin said. “That will be what I want to see Saturday. We’re progressing. We’ve played pretty good opponents every night out for 12 games now with a new team and we’re 9 and 3. Everybody in the country seems like they are about that way and yet for some reason we are the one that they all say, well you’re not up here anymore. I don’t really understand that. Our wins are pretty good. Our losses are not too bad. I think we are a lot better basketball team than we were a month ago and I think we need to be a lot better team in a month and I think we will be. But we’ve got to go do it. I’d like to be a better team by Saturday.”
“We get out of finals, I don’t think we have anybody with a final on Friday, so we’ll be able to get our breath and get back, maybe get our legs,” Franklin added. “I thought we were a step slow on the defensive end really all night. I thought we were letting them play us instead of us playing them. These are real life things for these guys in college. They are real and Logan is going through the same thing. We’ll see if we can get it geared up another gear for the next two games.”
“These next two games for us are going to be tough,” Franklin said. “Malcolm X has been beating most everybody they play and running up big numbers. I think that last Saturday before break up in Chicago is not going to be easy. They’ve got three really good perimeter players that can light you up and it’s in Chicago which is a different deal. We’ve got two road games left before break. If we can get out of this thing and win against Lincoln Trail and beat Malcolm X and get 11-3 and 2-0 in the District, with what we’ve had to put together here, I think we would be in pretty good shape turning into the second half of the year. But we’ve still got more work to do over the next week and a half.”
VINCENNES BOX SCORE
VINCENNES (78): Bryan Akanmu 4-6 0-0 8, Michael Cooper 9-16 7-7 27, Kenaz Ochogwu 0-1 0-0 0, Lebron Thomas 6-12 11-14 24, Dayton Williams 2-8 0-0 4, Christian Andrews 0-0 0-0 0, Jalen Calloway 1-3 1-2 3, Darstin Onye 1-1 2-4 4, Ali Sakho 4-4 0-0 8, Hussein Elmaraghy 0-1 0-0 0, Team 27-52 21-27 78.
John A. Logan – 39 38 – 77
VU (9-3, 1-0) – 43 35 – 78
Three-point goals: VU 3 (Cooper 2, Thomas). Rebounds: VU 32 (Akanmu 8). Assists: VU 13 (Thomas 6). Steals: VU 4 (Cooper, Williams, Calloway, Sakho). Blocked Shots: VU 3 (Williams, Calloway, Sakho). Turnovers: VU 10. Personal Fouls: VU 18. Fouled out: None. Technical Fouls: Akanmu (1st – 1:57).
Lady Trailblazers open Region 24 schedule with strong win over John A. Logan
Lady Trailblazers open Region 24 schedule with strong win over John A. Logan
VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Lady Trailblazers opened the Region 24 portion of their schedule Wednesday night inside the Physical Education Complex, hosting John A. Logan College from Carterville, Ill.
The short-handed Lady Blazers battled with only six active players to come away with a big 79-64 victory over the Lady Volunteers.
The Lady Blazers got off to an excellent start Wednesday night, opening the game with a very tough defensive first quarter, only allowing the Lady Volunteers two points in the opening 10 minutes of play.
Vincennes closed out the first quarter on a 9-0 scoring run to take a 13-2 lead into the second quarter of play.
John A. Logan looked to bounce back in the second quarter, cutting the VU lead down to seven before the Lady Blazers used a 12-2 scoring run to get their lead to 29-15 at the halftime break.
The Lady Volunteers again answered back to open the third quarter, beginning the second half by outscoring Vincennes 13-3 and cutting the VU lead down to four.
John A. Logan continued to fight and used a 10-0 scoring run to even the score at 42-42 before Vincennes closed out the third period with nine straight points to take a 51-42 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Lady Trailblazers helped put the game away early in the fourth quarter, using a 10-0 scoring run to increase the lead to 61-44.
The Lady Vols would get back within 13 but were unable to get the margin back to single digits as the Lady Blazers closed out the big 79-64 victory to open Region 24 play.
“I just think that we came together and were more disciplined on defense,” VU Interim Head Coach Ingrida Hartsfield said. “We knew that we are shorthanded, so we had to stay disciplined, even though we got in foul trouble at times. I’m just very proud of them for playing through it and finishing the game.”
The Lady Trailblazers were once again led offensively by freshman Delora Pricop (Satu Mare, Romania) who finished off her fifth double-double of the season with 17 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.
Freshman Ahmya Thomas (Phoenix, Ariz.) battled foul trouble all night to come away with 17 points, three assists and three steals, while sophomore Marta Gutierrez (Alicante, Spain) finished with 17 points, six assists and five rebounds.
Freshman Emani Washington (Indianapolis, Ind.) was the fourth VU scorer in double figures, finishing her night with 17 points, six assists and three rebounds.
Freshman Iris Comesana (Vigo, Spain) got the start Wednesday night for the Lady Blazers, finishing the game with six points and seven rebounds, while freshman Yanni Huggins (Belleville, Mich.) came off the bench to add five points, six rebounds and three steals.
“It’s just big when you can have four players in double figures,” Hartsfield added. “They are finishing and just doing their job all night. Delora couldn’t get it going early but she came around and did her job and made her layups. Ahmya, even while being in foul trouble, stayed aggressive and scored 17 points. Emani coming around as well as Marta just being more aggressive with the ball and finishing. Everyone who stepped on the court tonight and we only had six, everyone contributed to this win.”
The Lady Trailblazers will look to carry this momentum into their next game as VU prepares to hit the road Saturday, Dec. 14 to face Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Ill. at 2 p.m. eastern.
The Lady Blazers will then return home to the P.E. Complex Tuesday, Dec. 17 to close out the first half of their schedule against NJCAA Division II No. 24 Jefferson College at 5 p.m. eastern.
“I just hope to again see them play together, stay disciplined and play even better,” Hartsfield said. “Just getting rid of the turnovers, that’s what hurts us the most. We will just work on what we need to work on to prepare for Saturday’s game. We’ll go and fight and just keep going.”
VINCENNES BOX SCORE
VINCENNES (79): Iris Comesana 2-6 2-2 6, Delora Pricop 6-15 5-6 17, Ahmya Thomas 6-13 4-5 17, Marta Gutierrez 6-11 4-4 17, Emani Washington 3-11 11-12 17, Yanni Huggins 2-3 1-1 5, Team 25-59 27-30 79.
John A. Logan – 2 13 27 22 – 64
VU (5-7, 1-0) – 13 16 22 28 – 79
Three-point goals: VU 2 (Thomas, Gutierrez). Rebounds: VU 36 (Pricop 14). Assists: VU 21 (Gutierrez 6, Washington 6). Steals: VU 12 (Pricop 3, Thomas 3, Huggins 3). Blocked Shots: VU 8 (Pricop 5). Turnovers: VU 22. Personal Fouls: VU 18. Fouled out: Thomas. Technical Fouls: Hartsfield (3rd – 7:25).
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The Vincennes University Lady Trailblazers improve to 5-7 on the season, with a 1-0 record in Region 24 play.
Global Medical and Prescription Savings: A $100 Billion Opportunity for U.S. Healthcare
Global Medical and Prescription Savings: A $100 Billion Opportunity for U.S. Healthcare
BY JOE WALLACE
DECEMBER 13, 2024
The U.S. healthcare system is lauded for its cutting-edge technology and innovation, but it is also notorious for its exorbitant costs. As policymakers grapple with ballooning Medicare and Medicaid expenditures, a potential solution lies in an unconventional approach: utilizing lower-cost medical procedures abroad and allowing Americans to source prescription medications internationally. By leveraging global healthcare efficiencies, the U.S. could realize significant savings while maintaining, or even improving, care quality. This article explores how such policies could save hundreds of billions of dollars annually and outlines the key actions necessary to achieve these savings.
The Case for Medical Travel: International Cost Comparisons
Medical tourism is not a new concept; thousands of Americans already travel abroad annually for surgeries and treatments at a fraction of U.S. prices. Consider the following cost comparisons:
- Hip Replacements: A procedure in the U.S. averages $120,000, whereas in Belgium or India, the same surgery costs between $12,000 and $20,000. For Medicare patients alone, which accounts for over 300,000 hip replacements annually, shifting just 20% of these surgeries overseas could save approximately $6 billion per year.
- Heart Bypass Surgery: This life-saving procedure costs $75,000 to $150,000 in the U.S., but as little as $20,000 in Thailand or Singapore. Medicare pays for around 200,000 of these annually. Redirecting 10% of these surgeries to accredited international hospitals could save $11 billion annually.
- Dental Implants: In Los Algodones, Mexico—known as “Molar City”—a single implant costs around $1,200 compared to $5,000 in the U.S. By promoting dental tourism for non-urgent procedures, Medicaid and Medicare Advantage programs could save $1 billion annually.
The combined potential savings from targeted international medical tourism programs could exceed $25 billion annually.
Prescription Medications: Bridging the Price Gap
The United States pays more for prescription drugs than any other country, primarily due to the lack of negotiation power and regulatory restrictions. Allowing Americans to purchase medications internationally, either through travel or online pharmacies, could produce enormous cost reductions:
- Generic Medications: A common cholesterol-lowering drug, atorvastatin, costs $10 for a month’s supply in India or Mexico but averages $30 in the U.S. With over 25 million Medicare beneficiaries on statins, shifting sourcing offshore could save $6 billion annually.
- Specialty Drugs: Insulin costs $98 per vial in the U.S., compared to $8 in Mexico. Given the 8 million Americans who use insulin, enabling offshore purchases could save $10 billion annually.
- Cancer Drugs: Specialty medications like Gleevec cost $6,200 per month in the U.S. but just $2,500 in Canada or the EU. Providing structured access to international pharmacies could save Medicare and Medicaid an additional $15 billion annually.
The total savings from adopting global prescription sourcing policies could approach $31 billion annually, and consumers could experience reduced out-of-pocket costs.
Estimated Aggregate Savings
Combining savings from international medical travel and prescription drug policies, the U.S. could achieve annual healthcare cost reductions approaching $56 billion. Expanding these initiatives to include other procedures and broadening participation could push the total savings closer to $100 billion per year.
Key Actions to Realize Savings
- Expand Medicare and Medicaid Coverage for Medical Travel: Policymakers could pilot programs that cover international travel and procedures for elective surgeries, particularly for high-cost operations like joint replacements, organ transplants, and cardiac surgeries. Accreditation partnerships with top international hospitals would ensure safety and quality.
- Create an International Prescription Market for Americans: Regulatory reforms should permit Americans to purchase medications from verified international pharmacies. Establishing an FDA-monitored global pharmacy network could provide assurance of drug safety while promoting competition.
- Offer Tax Incentives for Private Insurers: Insurers could be incentivized to integrate international medical options into their plans. Tax credits could offset initial implementation costs, encouraging broader adoption.
- Implement Digital Platforms for International Healthcare Navigation: User-friendly digital tools could connect patients with reputable overseas providers, estimate savings, and assist with logistics. For example, a Medicare app could list certified international hospitals, costs, and reimbursement processes.
- Negotiate International Healthcare Agreements: The U.S. government could broker agreements with countries offering high-quality, affordable healthcare. These partnerships would streamline patient access and establish fixed pricing for procedures.
- Establish International Insurance Pools: Medicare and Medicaid could create specialized pools to fund international procedures, using the savings from lower-cost surgeries and medications to reinvest in domestic healthcare programs.
Addressing Common Concerns
Critics of international healthcare initiatives often raise concerns about safety, continuity of care, and ethical considerations. These challenges can be mitigated through robust oversight and thoughtful implementation:
- Safety: Only internationally accredited hospitals and pharmacies, such as those certified by the Joint Commission International (JCI), would be eligible for participation.
- Continuity of Care: Patients would be connected with U.S.-based follow-up providers, ensuring seamless post-procedure care.
- Economic Impact: While some fear that domestic providers might lose revenue, savings could be reinvested to strengthen preventive care and address public health challenges.
Potential Benefits Beyond Cost Savings
The adoption of international healthcare options could yield ancillary benefits:
- Reduced Strain on U.S. Facilities: By offshoring elective procedures, domestic hospitals could prioritize emergency care and high-complexity cases.
- Improved Global Healthcare Relations: U.S. partnerships with international providers could enhance diplomatic and economic ties.
- Increased Consumer Choice: Americans would gain access to affordable, high-quality care options not available domestically.
Conclusion
The U.S. government is at a crossroads in addressing unsustainable healthcare costs. By embracing the efficiencies of international medical travel and global prescription markets, policymakers could save tens of billions annually while expanding access to affordable care. Implementing these policies would require thoughtful planning and robust oversight, but the potential benefits—both fiscal and social—are too significant to ignore. In an era where every dollar counts, sending “Granny to Belgium” for a hip replacement or allowing her to buy $8 prescriptions from Mexico isn’t just feasible; it’s a transformative solution for a strained healthcare system.
Mike Braun Delivers Farewell Speech to the Senate
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Braun gave his farewell speech on the Senate floor today.
Senator Braun’s term in the U.S. Senate will end on January 3rd, 2025, and he will be sworn in as Indiana’s 52nd Governor on January 13th.
Here are some of the remarks made by Braun:
ON RUNNING FOR SENATE
It’s been the honor of my life to represent Hoosiers here in the U.S. Senate.
When I said I was going to leave my business in my hometown back in 2017 and run for Senate, there weren’t many people who said it could be done.
Since our victory in 2018, I’ve been so proud of the things we’ve accomplished for Hoosiers.
ON LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
I was proud to have been named the Most Effective First-Term Republican Senator and 6th most effective in the entire caucus by the non-partisan Center for Effective Lawmaking, but we all know who does the heavy lifting to get bills across the finish line: the team you put together.
In 2021, we had the most bills signed into law of any Senator, and we haven’t slowed down since.
ON CONSTITUENT SERVICES FOR HOOSIERS
When I was elected, I told my team that constituent service was going to be the center of what we do.
I’m so proud of our state team for the countless hours they’ve put in to assist Hoosiers all over the state.
They closed 13,775 constituent cases – assisting Hoosiers with problems that were seriously impacting their lives. There are many ways you can get entangled with the federal government.
My team returned $21.6 million dollars that were owed to Hoosiers back to them.
That money had an immediate impact: one woman in Columbus was at risk of losing her home, and we were able to recover $10,000 for her that she was owed from the IRS.
My team has responded to 2,381,813 messages from Hoosiers.
The regional field team held 1,500 hours of Mobile Office Hours events, where Hoosiers could get assistance right there in their hometowns.
When constituents reached out with problems, we found solutions.
ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S FINANCIAL SITUATION
I’m optimistic today, but I want to be clear about something. This place is bankrupting our country.
When I got here, our national debt was $18 trillion. That has now doubled in 6 years.
We borrow a trillion dollars every 6 months and pay that in interest annually.
This spending spree has a real effect on the American people: inflation, rising interest rates, and projected debt totaling $56T in ten years.
Borrowing money from our kids and grandkids is a bad business plan.
So how do we turn things around?
Well, the best part is, we’re not flying blind here. This place comes with an instruction manual.
It’s called the Constitution; especially the 10th amendment.
ON BECOMING THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF INDIANA
As the federal government has struggled, states have been a laboratory for good ideas.
The states are where the innovation is going to come from in the next decade, and I’m so excited to lead that charge in the great state of Indiana.
I’m honored beyond belief that Hoosiers have trusted me to serve as their next Governor.
Touring all 92 counties every year, I’ve met so many Hoosiers and heard their challenges and their victories large and small.
It’s a truly incredible state filled with the most goodhearted, hardworking people in the world.
It was my honor to serve them here in this body, and I can’t wait to continue the adventure back home again in Indiana.
Rep. O’Brien Participates in Meeting to Advance EMS Services
Rep. O’Brien: Legislators and stakeholders meet to advance EMS in Indiana
State Rep. Tim O’Brien (R-Evansville) recently convened a roundtable with legislators and key personnel from around the state to discuss important issues regarding emergency medical services.
The Indiana Department of Homeland Security released a report in accordance with House Enrolled Act 1302 from the 2024 legislative session, which O’Brien authored. The report includes a comprehensive overview of the status of EMS services across the state. The survey received participation from 97% of counties, which included data on organizational type, funding, staffing and service coverage.
“The Indiana Department of Homeland Security report has provided us with key data to better understand EMS services in our state,” O’Brien said. “I was proud to author the law requiring this study. Our Hoosier EMTs and paramedics are heroes, and we need to continue to support them. This report helps us strengthen our local EMS services while identifying and addressing the issues they’re facing.”
The report discovered the state’s primary EMS providers are volunteer fire departments at 34% with paid fire departments accounting for 19%. These departments’ primary source of funding is from the government, which accounts for approximately 70%. The typical response time for EMS providers to the farthest point in their service area is 10 to 20 minutes, with some responders taking 30 minutes or more. The report also found significant variation in EMS staffing levels across districts, notable gaps in basic and advanced life support services across counties including no coverage in some townships, and low wages and retirement benefits as primary challenges in recruiting and retaining EMS workers.
O’Brien, along with other legislators, met with personnel and EMS personnel from across the state to discuss potential solutions. Their discussion consisted of making sure all Hoosiers can access EMS services in a timely manner, addressing service gaps, and recruiting and retaining EMS personnel.
O’Brien said he will use the roundtable discussion for potential legislation in the 2025 legislative session, which begins Jan. 8 and must conclude by April 29. Hoosiers can follow session proceedings at iga.in.gov, where they can find information on proposed legislation and watch livestreams of committee hearings and session.