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Greene scores 18, Wagner takes down Maryland-Eastern Shore 63-61PHILADELPHIA , Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Independence Blue Cross (IBX) is implementing the Epic Payer Platform with health systems and providers in its network to streamline data exchange, close gaps in care, and improve health outcomes for members. Epic Payer Platform is part of Epic, a global healthcare technology company. The platform helps facilitate data exchange and workflow processes for providers and health plans, giving them the insights they need to make care decisions while also saving them time. "We're excited about the implementation of Epic Payer Platform with Drexel Medicine , Jefferson Health , Main Line Health , and Penn Medicine being the first to join us in this transformation. We look forward to more of our health care partners signing on as well," said Michael Vennera , executive vice president and chief strategy, technology, and operations officer at Independence Blue Cross . "We expect the platform to transform how we coordinate care for our members with automatic sharing of information with our members' doctors. There are also anticipated cost savings to both IBX and the health systems and providers on the platform due to decreasing administrative burden, avoiding unnecessary admissions and emergency department visits, and improving preventive care." Some key improvements that IBX expects to see in the not-so-distant future from this implementation include: Fewer care gaps. The real-time exchange of clinical data helps IBX and its network close care gaps, enhancing member health understanding and improving care quality. More insight into members' health. IBX and its network can access synchronized clinical information in real-time, enhancing healthcare team collaboration and improving patient care strategies and outcomes. Reduced administrative burden. The Epic Payer Platform will make it easier and quicker for IBX and the health systems and providers in its network to communicate and share information, lessening the need for manual exchange of information. Enhanced medication cost transparency. Health Systems and providers will have real-time access to benefits information for IBX members. This will help them have meaningful discussions with patients about how much prescribed medications will cost members and, in some cases, suggest lower-cost alternatives if they are available. Comprehensive patient care journey data. Providing participating health systems and providers with complete and accurate population health analytics to inform health care providers. "The integration of the Epic Payer Platform with Independence Blue Cross will significantly enhance our ability to provide comprehensive and efficient care to our patients, ensuring better health outcomes and streamlined operations," said John S. Potts , DO, FAAFP, assistant chief medical information officer at Main Line Health. In the long-term future, IBX expects its use of Epic Payer Platform to lead to automating prior authorization requests and updates, improving efficiency and reducing delays. Other activities that IBX anticipates happening in the future include: Allowing health systems and providers to verify in-network status and access cost/quality ratings, increasing patient satisfaction and optimizing value-based care. Eliminating the need for manual scanning of physical insurance cards by providing digital ID card access. "We are excited to modernize our partnership with Independence Blue Cross via their Epic Payer Platform integration. These efforts aim to improve patient health outcomes, reduce provider burden, and grow digitally shared patient data," Nathalie S. May , MD, FACP, professor of medicine and chief quality officer at Drexel University College of Medicine. IBX is working with health systems and providers in the region who are already utilizing Epic's EHR system to implement the platform in a phased approach. This implementation of Epic Payer Platform complements IBX's existing work with HealthShare Exchange , a platform that allows health insurers and different types of providers (e.g., community providers, health systems, community-based organizations, etc.), who may or may not use Epic, to share clinical records to make patient care more informed. Member privacy and confidentiality is a top priority for IBX. IBX is working with Epic to safeguard clinical information utilizing physical, administrative, and technical safeguards as required by HIPAA. About Independence Blue Cross: Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurance organization in southeastern Pennsylvania . For more than 85 years, we have been enhancing the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve. We deliver innovative and competitively priced health care products and services; pioneer new ways to reward doctors, hospitals, and other health care professionals for coordinated, quality care; and support programs and events that promote wellness. To learn more, visit ibx.com . Connect with us on Facebook , LinkedIn , and Instagram . Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. CONTACT: Diana Quattrone 215-815-7828 (cell) Diana.Quattrone@ibx.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/independence-blue-cross-launches-epic-payer-platform-to-transform-care-coordination-and-boost-member-health-outcomes-302314517.html SOURCE Independence Blue Cross

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Notre Dame forward Danny Nelson scored twice, Western Michigan’s Hampton Slukynsky made 25 saves and the defending champion United States beat Latvia 5-1 on Saturday in the world junior hockey championship. The United States improved to 2-0 in Group A play, while Latvia dropped to 1-1 a day after stunning Canada with a 3-2 victory in a shootout. Boston College’s Ryan Leonard, Denver’s Zeev Buium and Minnesota Duluth’s Max Plante also scored for the Americans. They will be back in action Sunday at Canadian Tire Centre against Finland, then close group play Tuesday night against Canada. Davids Livsics scored for Latvia. Linards Feldbergs stopped 36 shots after making 55 saves against Canada and stopping all eight attempts in the shootout. In the only other game of the day, Czechia beat Kazakhstan 14-2 at TD Place. Czechia and Sweden are both 2-0 in Group B. Matej Mastalirsky, Vojtech Hradec and Jakub Stancl had hat tricks, with Hradec and Stancl also each assisting on two goals. AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

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Since 1999, the EU and Mercosur (comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and since 2024, Bolivia) have been negotiating a trade agreement. While an agreement in principle was reached in 2019, EU members refused to ratify the deal. Today at the Mercosur Summit in Uruguay, attended by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the agreement took a significant step closer to finally coming into effect, with both EU and Mercosur states signing the deal. Tariff reductions: The agreement will remove over 90% of tariffs on goods exchanged between the two blocs, saving EU companies around €4 billion worth of duties each year. For some products, duties will be phased out over longer periods to provide companies in Mercosur countries with a sufficient amount time to adapt. Easier market access: Elimination of non-tariff barriers, discriminatory tax treatments, and the facilitation of trade in services. Sustainability: Provisions to ensure that trade does not come at the expense of environmental and labour standards. If approved by the EU member states and the EU parliament, this would create one of the largest free trade zones in the world. The EU and the five Mercosur states together make up 20.2% of global GDP, with the EU contributing the lions share with 17.4% (Brazil: 2.1%, Argentina: 0.6%, Uruguay: 0.1%, Paraguay and Bolivia: 0.04% each). In terms of population, the trade deal would unite 730 million people (450 million in the EU), or about 8.9% of the global population. While goods trade between the two blocs is still relatively small, totalling €109.4bn in 2023, the EU is Mercosur’s second-largest trade partner for goods, following China and ahead of the United States. Conversely, Mercosur ranks as the EU’s tenth-largest trade partner for goods. When it comes to trade in services, the EU has exported €28.2bn to Mercosur, while Mercosur exported €12.3bn to the EU in 2022. The trade deal is expected to significantly boost goods trade between the two regions. But here’s the catch, and the reason why the agreement hasn’t been signed in five years – it faces significant opposition. France and Poland, amongst others, are openly opposing the trade deal. Meanwhile 11 countries – Germany, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg, and Czechia – recently called for the swift conclusion of the deal in a letter to the President of the Commission. Germany, for example, sees Mercosur as a key market for its auto exports. Currently, average car tariffs on imports into Brazil, for instance, stand at 35% compared to an import tariff of 10% in the EU. Food and agri products represent the biggest part of the EU’s imports from Mercosur, with total a total import value of 23 billion euros in 2023 (42% of total imports). The agreement will facilitate trade growth due to a mix of larger import quotas as well as reduced and removed tariffs and duties on products like beef, poultry, sugar and soybeans. That’s stirring discontent among EU beef, poultry, sugar beet and soybean farmers, given that their Mercosur counterparts can operate at lower costs. Other companies in the food sector are more supportive. This is either because they can benefit from lower input costs, like confectionery and soft drinks manufacturers, or because the deal creates better market access for European cheese, beer, wine and spirits exporters. For EU consumers, we would argue that any deflationary impact on food prices will be difficult to spot. Firstly, quotas will likely be expanded over multiple years to avoid market distortions. Secondly, quotas will be larger but they still represent only a small portion of total EU consumption. Thirdly, the costs of these products make up only a part of the final price that consumers pay. In the case of a premium steak bought in a restaurant, factors such as labour costs are also an important part of the equation. A trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur countries could bring some light to the darkness for the struggling European car industry. Current tariffs of up to 18% on autoparts and even 35% on cars are obviously not very beneficial for export propositions. EU countries exported €1.1bn of passenger cars to Brazil, the bloc’s largest market, in 2023 and Germany was responsible for almost 60% of this. Altogether – and including the largest category automotive parts – EU countries exported almost €5bn worth of vehicles and automotive parts to the Mercosur member states. Including Bolivia, the Mercosur members produce just about as many cars as their domestic sales annually, but a significant chunk of this is exported to the rest of South America as the continent hardly has any other production sites outside of Brazil and Argentina. South America has a production deficit of about 30%, making it dependent on car imports. South American car markets therefore provide more growth opportunities than the sluggish European home markets. Driven by high import tariffs, European manufacturers like the Volkswagen Group and Daimler Trucks have established their manufacturing sites on the continent. A reduction in tariffs could boost production in Europe, where occupancy rates are currently low. While critical for the EU’s economic future, raw materials like lithium are making less headlines in the coverage of the free trade agreement. That’s surprising, given that a) the EU is very dependent on China for critical raw materials, b) countries like Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil hold large reserves of some of these critical raw materials and c) EU demand for these materials is expected to massively increase. We’ve previously written about how demand for lithium batteries (which power electric vehicles and energy storage) is set to increase 12 times by 2030, while the bloc’s demand for rare earth metals, used in wind turbines and EVs, is set to rise five to six times by 2030. It may be difficult to quantify the exact economic value of having better access to these materials through closer ties with Mercosur, but we believe this particular element carried a lot of strategic weight for the EU Comission when striking the deal – especially as diversification or sourcing and securing supply is currently top of mind. The signing of the trade deal is expected to spark new protests from farmers – particularly those in France – who strongly oppose it. This response will mostly be borne out of a fear that the elimination of tariffs will lead to a substantial inflow of cheaper South American agricultural products, particularly beef, with products not meeting Europe’s stringent environmental and food safety standards. French President Emmanuel Macron might even face stronger pressure at home, given that he was unable to stop this deal and that it looks unlikely he’d sign the Treaty in the current political situation in France. In Poland, the Netherlands and Austria, farmers fear that the deal will lead to unfair competition, doesn’t meet the EU’s environmental ambitions, and contributes little to GDP for some member states. The expected GDP boost for the Netherlands is only 0.03% in 2035, compared to a GDP gain of 0.23% for Spain, for example. If the trade agreement is signed in its current form, i.e., a ‘mixed’ agreement including both trade and non-trade measures, it would necessitate approval from the European Parliament as well as all national parliaments. It would also require ratification by all 27 EU member states. While the EU can negotiate trade agreements on behalf of its members with a qualified majority, any agreement involving shared competence between the EU and its member countries must be ratified by each member state. Remember that also the Canadian-European Trade Agreement (CETA) has not been ratified yet by all member states. To avoid repetition of the CETA experience, the EU could therefore split the agreement into two parts: the pure trade agreement and the non-trade measure part. For the pure trade part, a qualified majority vote would be required instead of approval from all 27 members, meaning that at least 15 EU member states representing 65% of the EU population would need to approve. Consequently, at least four member states representing 35% of the EU population would be needed to block the deal. The same procedure had been in place for the tariffs against electric vehicles made in China. This agreement comes at a time when the world is facing increasing protectionism, with US President-elect Donald Trump returning to the White House. He has made no secret of his fondness for tariffs. However, protectionist tendencies are not solely limited to Trump. This week, Beijing announced export bans on key minerals such as germanium and gallium in retaliation against US controls on semiconductor technology. Additionally, new tariffs worth $18bn on Chinese products will take effect in January 2025 and 2026. Elsewhere, the EU has also stepped up its protectionist measures against China this year – and Mercosur countries aren’t holding back either. Brazil introduced import tariffs on electric vehicles (BEVs) of 10% at the start of the year, climbing to 18% in July and up to 35% in 2026. A trade deal between these two economic blocs would be welcome amid a global climate engulfed by a new era of protectionism, and would be significant step towards ongoing trade liberalisation. However, the likelihood of success remains slim – and we’re interested to see whether free trade supporters can prevail over the protectionists this time around. Source: INGGovt targets: More than half behind

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Palantir Technologies ( PLTR 6.22% ) has had an incredible run in 2024. The company has become one of the most talked about platforms fueling the artificial intelligence (AI) narrative, shares of the stock have gained more than 300% this year alone, and it's become a member of the S&P 500 index. But with just a few weeks left in the year, Palantir might have one last big milestone achievement up its sleeve. Below, I'm going to explain why Dec. 13 is an important date for Palantir investors. Let's break down what investors should be on the lookout for and assess if the stock is a good buy right now. What is happening on Dec. 13? This year, Dec. 13 falls on a Friday. And while Friday the 13th is usually affiliated with bad luck or superstition, Palantir investors may have some more good news headed their way. Next Friday, the Nasdaq-100 index is going to be reconstituted. This means that a new selection of companies will be added to the coveted index, replacing stocks that have fallen out of eligibility. This is important, because the Nasdaq-100 is generally affiliated growth stocks and lucrative opportunities beyond the S&P 500. Will Palantir join the Nasdaq-100? On Sept. 6, Palantir announced that it had officially earned entry into the S&P 500. Since the date of that announcement, shares of Palantir have soared by 138% as of market close on Dec. 5. A few months later, Palantir announced that it was changing the stock exchange on which it trades -- moving from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to the Nasdaq. PLTR data by YCharts Since joining the Nasdaq on Nov. 26, shares of Palantir have gained about 10% (as of market close Dec. 5). That's a pretty dramatic move in only seven trading days. In the press release regarding this announcement, management expressed that "upon transferring, Palantir anticipates meeting the eligibility requirements of the Nasdaq-100 Index." While history is no guarantee of future results, the stock's performance following its entry into the S&P 500 and its transition to the Nasdaq serve as a decent proxy for what investors could expect should the company earn a spot on the Nasdaq-100 on Dec. 13. Does joining the Nasdaq-100 make Palantir stock a buy? I think there is a good chance Palantir will be added to the Nasdaq-100 next week and, should that occur, I'd be shocked if the stock doesn't move even higher. But while becoming a member of the Nasdaq-100 is a respectable milestone, such an achievement alone does not make Palantir stock a buy. Instead, investors should look at a combination of the company's growth outlook, Wall Street's take on the company's trajectory, and valuation. As far as Palantir's outlook and Wall Street's opinion are concerned, the company appears well on its way to continue accelerating its top line while growing margins and minting higher profits over the next several years. The primary catalyst fueling this growth is Palantir's Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP), which has become a game-changing product development for the company over the last couple of years. As such, some of Wall Street's most respected analysts including Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities and Mariana Pérez Mora of Bank of America remain bullish on the stock. The only real concern I have surrounding an investment in Palantir at its current price comes down to valuation. To put it bluntly, a price-to-sales (P/S) multiple of 63.5 and a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 149 are not even close to reasonable. In my eyes, the stock has run up so much that it's due for a pullback sooner rather than later. But with that said, I see any potential sell-off as one that will be short-lived, as it will probably be driven by investors taking profits as opposed to panic-induced selling should Palantir face some sort of crisis -- which, as of now, doesn't look likely. While the prospects of inclusion on the Nasdaq-100 is exciting, it's really just another potential milestone in what I see as a long line of more accomplishments to be achieved for Palantir over many years. All told, I'd encourage investors to monitor Palantir and look to use a strategy leveraging dollar-cost averaging over a long-term horizon.Reaves scores 19 in Iona's 72-63 win over Saint Peter's

Tulane QB Mensah transfers to Duke; Mississippi State’s Van Buren, Cal’s Mendoza enter portalTwo CMFRI scientists earn prestigious NAAS recognition

ABC projects that Democrat Adam Gray will win the race for California's 13th Congressional District , unseating incumbent Republican John Duarte and flipping the final unresolved seat in the 2024 election. With all 435 House races projected, ABC News estimates Republicans will hold 220 seats and Democrats 215 in the 119th Congress. But it's not clear how vacancies -- or, illness or other absences -- will impact the day-to-day division of power when the House convenes on Jan. 3. President-elect Donald Trump initially tapped three House Republicans for positions in his upcoming administration: Florida Reps. Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz, and New York Rep. Elise Stefanik. Gaetz has already resigned from Congress and withdrew last month from consideration to serve as President-elect Donald Trump's attorney general. And though he won reelection to his seat last month, he said he won't serve another term. MORE | Democrat Adam Gray projected to win California's 13th Congressional District Republicans could have a 217-215 majority while their seats are vacant -- the narrowest GOP majority in history -- and special elections to fill those seats can take months to complete. In this case, any single Republican can hold Johnson hostage: Losing just one Republican on a vote would result in a 216-216 tie. The speaker acknowledged the thin majority, which could pose a challenge in passing Trump's agenda. "Well, just like we do every day here, we've developed an expertise in that. We know how to work with a small majority. That's our custom now," Johnson said. "So, yes -- do the math. We can, we have nothing to spare. But all of our members know that we talked about that today, as we do constantly, that this is a team effort that we've got to all row in the same direction." But several elderly Democrats have missed votes recently, which could give Republicans a little more breathing room next year. In California's 13th District, Duarte conceded to Gray on Tuesday, according to the Turlock Journal. "I'm a citizen legislator, and I didn't plan on being in Congress forever," Duarte told the newspaper. "But whenever I think I can make a difference, I'll consider public service in different forms, including running for Congress again." Gray released a victory statement on X Tuesday evening, extending his gratitude and saying the "final results confirm this district is ready for independent and accountable leadership that always puts the Valley's people ahead of partisan politics." ABC News' Marilyn Heck and Benjamin Siegel contributed to this report.

Rescuers reassess safety in search for woman they think fell into a Pennsylvania sinkholeBERLIN (AP) — Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk caused uproar after backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest. Germany is to vote in an early election on Feb. 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed last month in a dispute over how to revitalize the country’s stagnant economy. Musk’s guest opinion piece for Welt am Sonntag —a sister publication of POLITICO owned by the Axel Springer Group — published in German over the weekend, was the second time this month he supported the Alternative for Germany, or AfD. “The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the last spark of hope for this country,” Musk wrote in his translated commentary. He went on to say the far-right party “can lead the country into a future where economic prosperity, cultural integrity and technological innovation are not just wishes, but reality.” The Tesla Motors CEO also wrote that his investment in Germany gave him the right to comment on the country’s condition. The AfD is polling strongly, but its candidate for the top job, Alice Weidel , has no realistic chance of becoming chancellor because other parties refuse to work with the far-right party. An ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump , the technology billionaire challenged in his opinion piece the party’s public image. “The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!” Musk’s commentary has led to a debate in German media over the boundaries of free speech, with the paper’s own opinion editor announcing her resignation, pointedly on Musk’s social media platform, X. “I always enjoyed leading the opinion section of WELT and WAMS. Today an article by Elon Musk appeared in Welt am Sonntag. I handed in my resignation yesterday after it went to print,” Eva Marie Kogel wrote. A critical article by the future editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Jan Philipp Burgard, accompanied Musk’s opinion piece. “Musk’s diagnosis is correct, but his therapeutic approach, that only the AfD can save Germany, is fatally wrong,” Burgard wrote. Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone. Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you. Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. Responding to a request for comment from the German Press Agency, dpa, the current editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Ulf Poschardt, and Burgard — who is due to take over on Jan. 1 — said in a joint statement that the discussion over Musk’s piece was “very insightful. Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression.” “This will continue to determine the compass of the “world” in the future. We will develop “Die Welt” even more decisively as a forum for such debates,” they wrote to dpa. Related From Our PartnerKlubnik's 3 TD passes, DT Page's pick-6 lead No. 17 Clemson to 51-14 win over The CitadelThe company reported increases in several critical categories in the most recently completed quarter. *Stock prices used were the afternoon prices of Nov. 19, 2024. The video was published on Nov. 21, 2024.

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Former Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah has already found a new program in Duke, while Mississippi State's Michael Van Buren Jr., Wisconsin's Braedyn Locke and Cal’s Fernando Mendoza are exploring changes of their own in the transfer portal . Mensah, a redshirt freshman with three years of eligibility remaining, told ESPN on Wednesday he has transferred to Duke. He attended the Blue Devils men's basketball game against Incarnate Word on Tuesday night. The Blue Devils (9-3) will face Mississippi in the Gator Bowl, but without 2024 starting quarterback Maalik Murphy and backup Grayson Loftis, who also entered the portal. Mensah, viewed as one of the top players in the portal, threw for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns and completed 65.9% of his passes. He led the Green Wave to a 9-4 record and the American Athletic Conference championship game, where they lost 35-14 to Army. Tulane will play Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl on Sunday. Van Buren, Mendoza and Locke announced on social media they had entered the portal. Van Buren started eight games as a true freshmen for the Bulldogs. He threw for 1,886 yards on 55% passing with 16 total touchdowns and seven interceptions for the Bulldogs (2-10, 0-8 Southeastern Conference). He took over as the starter when Blake Shapen suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in a 45-28 loss to Florida on Sept. 21. Shapen has said he plans to return next season. Van Buren, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound passer from St. Frances Academy in Maryland, had two 300-yard performances for the Bulldogs, including 306 yards and three touchdown passes in a 41-31 road loss against Georgia. Mendoza threw for 3,004 yards in 2024 with 16 TDs, six interceptions and a 68.7 completion percentage. “For the sake of my football future this is the decision I have reached,” he posted. Locke passed for 1,936 yards with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for Wisconsin this season. He said he will have two years of eligibility remaining at his next school. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballDonald Trump expected to be named Time magazine Person of the Year: report