Hulk Hogan dead at 71 after weeks of 'health issue' rumors as tributes pour in for WWE legend
Paramedics were called to the WWE legend's Clearwater home on Thursday morning, according to TMZ.
His shock death comes just weeks after his wife, Sky, denied rumors he was on his deathbed in a coma - and insisted his heart was 'strong' after he underwent a routine neck surgery.
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The Independent
7 minutes ago
- The Independent
Having a baby is expensive. Here's where it will cost you the most
Having a child is getting more and more expensive each year in the U.S. The cost of raising one kid into adulthood now totals hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to recent estimates from online lending marketplace LendingTree and other finance groups. 'No one should be surprised that costs have risen in recent years, but the type of growth we've seen in child care costs is on a whole other level,' Matt Schulz, LendingTree chief consumer finance analyst, said in a statement. 'There are plenty of reasons for the growth, including inflation, growing labor costs and rising demand. However, whatever the reason, this growth is making an already challenging aspect of parenthood that much worse.' But years before your child speaks, goes to soccer camp, or applies to colleges, just giving birth to them can break the bank. That's true for some states more than others, according to data from non-profit FAIR Health. The database includes more than 46 billion commercial healthcare claim records. The FAIR Health Cost of Giving Birth Tracker data, including costs paid out by both patients and their insurance companies, shows it's even worse for new parents in Alaska, New York, New Jersey, Maine, and Vermont. Isolated Alaska, where health costs are generally more expensive, has the highest average costs for both vaginal deliveries and C-sections, at estimates of about $29,000 and $39,500, respectively. In the Lower 48, New York- and New Jersey-based vaginal deliveries at expensive hospitals may go for around $21,800. In Maine and Vermont, the C-sections cost more than $28,000. Notably, C-section surgeries cost more money, and are more complex procedures than vaginal deliveries. Many factors are driving the disparities, FAIR Health's Rachel Kent told Axios. Those include provider training levels, local salaries and the cost of living, malpractice insurance costs, and insurers' bargaining power. There are also differences in costs for some racial groups, with Black and Hispanic people forking out more for maternal care than Asian and white people, according to research published earlier this year. Of course, people with insurance typically fork out a fraction of the total amount paid. A 2022 Peterson-KFF analysis found that out-of-pocket costs range just over $2,800, on average. Still, pricey hospital bills and other childcare costs are some of many reasons people are now choosing to forgo starting a family. Earlier this year, the fertility rate in the U.S. plummeted to an all-time low, according to federal data. Karen Guzzo, director of the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina, told The Associated Press that the trend seems tied to concerns about the ability to have money, insurance, and other resources needed to raise a child. A previous study from researchers at New York's Mount Sinai Health System found that some low-income families spent nearly 20 percent of their annual income on medical costs during the year of pregnancy and birthing. 'Worry is not a good moment to have kids,' and that's why birth rates in most age groups are not improving, she said.
Daily Mail
8 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Bronny James reveals lingering health struggles after cardiac arrest at 18
Los Angeles Lakers star Bronny James has revealed a lingering health issue, ever since he suffered from cardiac arrest during a college basketball practice two years ago. LeBron James ' eldest son, 20, revealed he gets sick easier now after the serious incident, than before he stepped foot inside the USC program. Bronny collapsed during a July 2023 Trojans practice, delaying his college debut to that December due to a congenital heart defect that required surgery. The 6-inch scar still runs down James' chest and is a reminder of how much every day in the sport means to him. 'I get kind of sick easier now,' Bronny said, per ESPN. 'Which is kind of weird, but I think it messed with my immune system a little bit. So, I would have times where I have to sit out, and that conditioning that I'm working on just goes away in that week of me being out.' Early into his professional basketball career, Bronny has shown to be different from his legendary father in terms of demeanor. That's more evident after his appearances in the NBA Summer League. LeBron James' eldest son said he gets sick more easily since his 2023 medical incident 'I just think that if you know me, I don't really like the spotlight in big moments,' Bronny continued. 'I mean, it was a great experience to be part of because it was the first son-father duo. But I'm a chill guy. I don't like [all that]. It comes with it.' 'But yeah, I don't really like to go back. I mean, I'll watch my good performances where I have some minutes under my belt, but I'm not going to go and watch that.' The most noteworthy second-round pick from last year did enter the NBA in a tough spot, with nepotism claims hounding the 20-year-old. 'It was definitely like, "OK, this is where I stand right now, I need to just be better,"' he said. 'I need to get in the gym, get extra shots up, work on my body, work on my IQ, watch film, stuff like that with the coaches. So, it was definitely an eye-opener for me.' More attention is now on Bronny than ever before, as he attempts to begin his second professional season, still with his father by his side after LeBron opted into his maximum contract deal worth $52.6million.
Reuters
8 minutes ago
- Reuters
Humana bucks industry gloom as insurer keeps handle on medical costs
July 30 (Reuters) - Humana (HUM.N), opens new tab raised its annual profit forecast after beating quarterly estimates on Wednesday, as the U.S. health insurer succeeded in keeping its medical costs in check, in contrast to several of its rivals who recently slashed their expectations. Its shares rose 6% in early trading as the company also highlighted better-than-expected membership in its individual Medicare Advantage plans, as well as strong performance in its CenterWell care-delivery unit. Under Medicare Advantage plans, the U.S. government pays private insurers a set rate to manage healthcare for people aged 65 and older, and those with disabilities. CenterWell offers clinical programming for seniors, including primary care services and in-home health visits. Humana has been "transparent" in discussing utilization, transparency and the impact of government payment changes, said George Renaudin, president of insurance. "We reduced more benefits, and more significantly than all of our competitors in 2025." Humana reported a quarterly medical cost ratio - the percentage of premiums spent on medical care - of 89.7%, up from 88.9% a year earlier, but in line with analysts' estimates. Larger competitor UnitedHealth (UNH.N), opens new tab flagged underestimation of medical costs on Tuesday, and also provided a full-year profit forecast that fell short of analysts' already diminished estimates. The industry has been battling stubbornly high costs for the last two years due to increased use of healthcare services across government-backed plans. Humana projected full-year profit to be about $17 per share, compared with its previous estimate of about $16.25 and analyst estimates of $16.38 per share, as per LSEG data. "We think this increase will be received positively, as the company's 2025 repricing actions appear to be having their intended effect," said J.P. Morgan analyst Lisa Gill. Humana CEO Jim Rechtin said the company was confident in the growth outlook for Medicare Advantage and value-based care. Under a value-based care model, providers are paid based on how well they keep patients healthy, such as preventing hospital readmissions, which larger rival UnitedHealth has said it has struggled to integrate. UnitedHealth has been treating new value-based patients at a lower reimbursement rate than they deem as fair, said Morningstar analyst Julie Utterback. Humana said it remained optimistic that its pricing of the Medicare Advantage plans for 2025 will drive margin improvement. It also expects membership decline in the plans to be lower than previously anticipated. The company earned a second-quarter profit of $6.27 per share, topping estimates of $5.92.
