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SHULTZ: Trump didn't get a blank check

NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. The University of Iowa graduate began his career as a certified public accountant at PwC and had little name recognition beyond the health care industry. Even to investors who own its stock, the parent company's face belonged to CEO Andrew Witty, a knighted British triathlete who has testified before Congress. When Thompson did occasionally draw attention, it was because of his role in shaping the way Americans get health care. At an investor meeting last year, he outlined his company's shift to “value-based care,” paying doctors and other caregivers to keep patients healthy rather than focusing on treating them once sick. “Health care should be easier for people,” Thompson said at the time. “We are cognizant of the challenges. But navigating a future through value-based care unlocks a situation where the ... family doesn’t have to make the decisions on their own.” Thompson also drew attention in 2021 when the insurer, like its competitors, was widely criticized for a plan to start denying payment for what it deemed non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. “Patients are not medical experts and should not be expected to self-diagnose during what they believe is a medical emergency,” the chief executive of the American Hospital Association wrote in an open letter addressed to Thompson. “Threatening patients with a financial penalty for making the wrong decision could have a chilling effect on seeking emergency care.” United Healthcare responded by delaying rollout of the change. Thompson, who lived in a Minneapolis suburb and was the married father of two sons in high school, was set to speak at an investor meeting in a midtown New York hotel. He was on his own and about to enter the building when he was shot in the back by a masked assailant who fled on foot before pedaling an e-bike into Central Park a few blocks away, the New York Police Department said. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said investigators were looking at Thompson's social media accounts and interviewing employees and family members. “Didn’t seem like he had any issues at all,” Kenny said. "He did not have a security detail.” AP reporters Michael R. Sisak and Steve Karnowski contributed to this report. Murphy reported from Indianapolis. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Frank Lampard is one of the greatest goalscoring midfielders in football history , having amassed 267 goals over his club career, 211 of which came during his 13-year spell with west London club Chelsea . Whilst the majority of his playing career was spent playing in the Premier League , starting out as a teenager with West Ham United , before playing a season - his final in the English top flight - with Manchester City during the 2014/15 campaign, Lampard was also an established member of the England national team that was considered the 'Golden Generation'. But whilst on duty representing the Three Lions in 2007, he was met with a flurry of boos on a few occasions, which left his teammates 'dumbstruck' , just two years after England fans had voted him as their player of the year. England Fans Booed Their Star Midfielder Despite being considered one of the greatest English footballers of all time , and scoring almost 30 times in over 100 appearances for his country - an impressive return for a midfielder - Lampard's international career wasn't always rosy. In fact, after being part of the England team under Sven-Goran Eriksson that was eliminated on penalties at the quarter-final stage of the 2006 World Cup , the Chelsea star was subject to a ring of boos under the lights of the newly-opened Wembley Stadium in 2007 when he was introduced as a substitute against Estonia in their Euro 2008 qualifier with 20 minutes remaining on the clock. After the match, which England won 3-0 , Lampard's teammates were quick to jump to his support, with midfielder Gareth Barry bewildered by the response from Three Lions fans to Lampard's introduction, with him labelling it as 'wrong'. It's always harsh for any player to get booed, especially someone like Frank with what he's achieved and what he's done for his club and his country. So it was very wrong. Frank's experienced enough and a good-enough player to come through it. Joe Cole , who was then teammates with Lampard at Chelsea, also spoke on record at his disbelief at his club and country teammate receiving such a negative reaction from the fans, noting how England fans had voted the midfielder as their player of the year just a few seasons prior in both 2004 and 2005. I don't really know what to say because, for me, Frank has been one of England's most consistent players over the years. It's not nice to hear one of your mates getting that, because he's a top player. For me, he's one of the best players in the world and doesn't deserve it. I don't understand it. He was voted England's player of the year and rightly so because he was brilliant. It's something that should not happen, and you've just got to keep on going. Frank Lampard - Career Statistics Statistic Club Country Appearances 896 106 Goals 267 29 Assists 172 12 Frustrations Mounted on ‘Golden Generation’ After receiving boos during multiple games in 2007, Lampard himself spoke out about this , and believed it was as a result of the expectations that he would have got onto the scoresheet during the World Cup the previous year. He would also express how it was a 'bit upsetting' for him personally, though he accepted it as part of playing at the highest level for his country. It's part of playing for England, I suppose. This time last year, I had just won their player of the year twice on the spin - that's just how English football is. It's not helpful to the team or the players, and it can be a bit upsetting, but you have to be big enough to take it, and I've got no problem with it - I've had much worse when I've gone back to West Ham. I know I was expected to score at the World Cup, it didn't happen, and I'm fighting to get back in there knocking in the goals again. An argument can be made that England fans were growing more disappointed with the results of their supposed 'Golden Generation' having been knocked out in the quarter-finals of Euro 2004 by Portugal on penalties - a game in which Lampard had scored the equaliser in extra time - and then were eliminated in 2006 via yet another penalty shootout against Portugal. Following the events in 2007, Lampard would go on to be part of the squad that failed to qualify for Euro 2008. Furthermore, in the 2010 World Cup, England were eliminated by Germany in the round of 16 after a 4-1 defeat, a match in which Lampard's infamous strike that clearly crossed the line was disallowed by the referee. Who knows what the final scoreline would have been had the goal been given, which would have seen the game tied at 2-2. Nonetheless, the 'Golden Generation' would fail to progress past the quarter-final stages in major tournaments, with Lampard hanging up his international boots in 2014. His 106th, and final, international appearance came in the 2014 World Cup group stages, where he captained the side to a 0-0 draw as they were eliminated after finishing bottom of the group. All statistics via Transfermarkt and FBRef - correct as of 26/11/2024. He claimed that appearing in French GQ gave him "as much pleasure as signing for United".Do you have a someone in your life who plays Vulture’s Cinematrix game every morning? Or maybe they have the kitchen television turned to Turner Classic Movies all day and make a point of organizing Oscar polls at work?

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Miguel Tomley scored 28 points as Weber State beat Pepperdine 68-53 in the Desert Division championship game of the Arizona Tip-Off on Saturday night. Tomley shot 7 for 12 (6 for 7 from 3-point range) and 8 of 8 from the free-throw line for the Wildcats (4-4). Blaise Threatt added 21 points and seven rebounds. Boubacar Coulibaly led the Waves (2-6) with 17 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks. Stefan Todorovic added 13 points and Zion Bethea scored 12. Weber State took the lead with 9:18 remaining in the first half and did not relinquish it. The score was 33-23 at halftime, with Tomley racking up 11 points. T The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .None

Miguel Tomley scores 28 to lead Weber State over Pepperdine 68-53 at Arizona Tip-Off