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USA Today
14-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
This college national championship's brutal hole location led to players crying
This college national championship's brutal hole location led to players crying The scene at the fifth hole of the NAIA Women's Championship on Tuesday was so bad it reduced some to tears. The number of 9s, 10s and 12s posted on the menacing par 5 at Eagle Crest Golf Club was nothing short of shocking. In the field 156, 90 players made a score of double or worse. Only three players made birdie. 'At the end, I was basically calling it a par 7,' said Southeastern coach David Joyner, whose team posted scores of 9, 8, 7, 7, 6. 'If you got lucky and putted it a foot past the hole, a perfect putt, it had a chance to stay,' said Joyner. 'If it wasn't in that perfect spot, it rolled back down to your feet.' Some of the best players in the field six- and seven-putted. The field's scoring average on the hole was 6.97. Joyner's team went through the hole in the morning, but as things warmed up in the afternoon, players spent over an hour waiting on the tee box to hit as entire teams – players 1-5 – were backed up. The wait was so long, in fact, coaches were worried about the lack of bathrooms. Here's more on the story.
USA Today
14-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NAIA forced to apologize after brutal hole location wreaks havoc on national championship
NAIA forced to apologize after brutal hole location wreaks havoc on national championship The scene at the fifth hole of the NAIA Women's Championship on Tuesday was so bad it reduced some to tears. The number of 9s, 10s and 12s posted on the menacing par 5 at Eagle Crest Golf Club was nothing short of shocking. In the field 156, 90 players made a score of double or worse. Only three players made birdie. 'At the end, I was basically calling it a par 7,' said Southeastern coach David Joyner, whose team posted scores of 9, 8, 7, 7, 6. 'If you got lucky and putted it a foot past the hole, a perfect putt, it had a chance to stay,' said Joyner. 'If it wasn't in that perfect spot, it rolled back down to your feet.' Some of the best players in the field six- and seven-putted. The field's scoring average on the hole was 6.97. Joyner's team went through the hole in the morning, but as things warmed up in the afternoon, players spent over an hour waiting on the tee box to hit as entire teams – players 1-5 – were backed up. The wait was so long, in fact, coaches were worried about the lack of bathrooms. Cumberland's head coach Aaron Watkins posted a video on X that showed a player's ball catching the right edge of the cup on the fifth, circling the hole and then coming back to her feet. She hit another putt just shy of the cup and it rolled back down. 'This was happening all day,' Watkins wrote. As the debacle went viral, even Phil Mickelson weighed in on social media, responding to a tweet with 'I have a suggestion,' alluding to that memorable time he hit a moving ball at the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock. The NAIA released a statement Tuesday evening to address the situation: "We regret to confirm that an unfortunate situation occurred at the NAIA Women's Golf National Championship. The hole on No. 5 was incorrectly placed in a challenging position. We take this matter seriously and have taken immediate steps to ensure this type of situation will not happen again. The NAIA is committed to the student-athlete experience." The fifth hole caused such a delay in play that the six teams didn't finish the first round before play was suspended due to darkness. Officials didn't dot the greens ahead of time, so coaches weren't aware of the hole locations in advance. But that really wouldn't have mattered, Joyner noted, as they were told that the hole location on the fifth green was placed in the incorrect position, and no one from the tournament committee went out to check hole locations Tuesday morning before play. 'I just hate that it was embarrassing for some of the players,' said Joyner, 'and it shouldn't have been.' Unfortunately, a similar situation took place two years ago at the NCAA Division III women's golf championship, only in that case the third round was canceled because of an unplayable hole. The situation occurred on the 308-yard par-4 sixth hole at Mission Inn & Resort's El Campeon Golf Course in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida. Numerous videos posted to social media showed the pin placement on a severe slope with putts coming up just short of the hole rolling back 10 to 15 feet, if not more. On Tuesday in Ypsilanti, Michigan, some players putted the ball past the hole and got lucky when it rolled back in the cup. Goofy golf. Joyner said he would've wiped out the hole to speed up play and save embarrassment. British Columbia held the first-round lead at 9 over, four shots clear of Marian (Indiana) and nine in front of Keiser (Florida), Milligan (Tennenssee) and SCAD Savannah (Georgia). Keiser had two quadruple-bogey nines on the fifth hole, along with a triple, a double and one par.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CVS plans to exit ACA individual exchanges, strikes Wegovy deal with Novo Nordisk
This story was originally published on Healthcare Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Healthcare Dive newsletter. CVS Health's insurance division Aetna will stop offering plans for individuals on the Affordable Care Act exchanges in 2026, after the company projected big losses in the business this year. The news was announced in tandem with CVS' first quarter results, which exceeded investor expectations and represent a turnaround for CVS' beleaguered insurance business, analysts said. The Rhode Island-based healthcare company reported net profit of $1.8 billion — up 60% year over year — on revenue of $94.6 billion. CVS' pharmacy benefit manager Caremark also reached an agreement with Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk to give its weight loss drug Wegovy preferred access on Caremark's standard formulary, which covers tens of millions of Americans. The deal should increase access to Wegovy at the expense of other therapies, such as Eli Lilly's Zepbound. When CVS acquired Aetna for $78 billion in 2018, the company brought onboard a business that had a volatile history with the ACA. Aetna exited the ACA market entirely in 2018 but returned in 2022 as the exchanges calmed, and has since grown to offer plans in 17 states. But now, Aetna is once again retreating from the individual exchanges after projecting hundreds of millions of dollars in losses from the business this year. CVS' healthcare benefits segment, which includes Aetna, recorded a reserve of $448 million in the quarter to cover anticipated losses for the business that won't be covered by premiums. 'We are disappointed by the continued underperformance from our individual exchange products and have recently determined there is not a near- or long-term pathway for Aetna to materially improve its position,' CVS CEO David Joyner told investors on a Thursday morning call. 'Despite our multiyear efforts, we must recognize what is and what is not working and will focus on the areas where we have a clear right to win. This is not a decision we made lightly,' Joyner said. With the exit, CVS is waving goodbye to an insurance segment that, while unprofitable, has not been the main source of Aetna's recent challenges. The insurer was slammed with high medical costs for Medicare Advantage and Medicaid members last year, which cut CVS' annual profits almost in half. The plans also make up a relatively small business line for CVS. Of the company's 27.1 million members in medical coverage, around 1 million are in individual ACA plans. However, the ACA exchanges are experiencing significant policy turbulence from President Donald Trump, who has made no secret of his antipathy for the Obama-era law. In the Trump administration's first 100 days, healthcare regulators have enacted or proposed policies expected to significantly shrink the exchanges. Meanwhile, it's unclear whether Congress plans to extend generous tax credits for ACA plans beyond this year. If the subsidies expire, millions of people are expected to exit the ACA exchanges. There were some signals that CVS already had one foot out the door, with executives telling investors in the fourth quarter that they expected significant reductions in their ACA plans this year after raising premiums. The exit will free up CVS to focus on more lucrative business lines, executives said. It also presents an opportunity for insurers that are bullish on growing their ACA footprints, such as Centene, to snap up additional market share. Investors reacted favorably to the news, along with CVS' improved earnings results and the company's decision to hike its 2025 earnings guidance. CVS' stock rose more than 7% in morning trading Thursday. 'CVS' overall reported enterprise results showed clear positive signs across all segments,' Michael Cherny, an analyst with Leerink Partners, wrote in a note. Overall, CVS' health benefits posted almost $2 billion in adjusted operating earnings — almost three times higher than the $732 million recorded same time last year. Medical spending continues to be elevated but was generally in line with CVS' expectations in the quarter, management said, though they said they were remaining cautious given the early stage of the year. On the call with investors, CVS executives also shared details about the company's new deal with Novo Nordisk, which is a major shakeup in the billion-dollar market for obesity drugs — and a significant blow to rival drugmaker Eli Lilly, which also manufactures GLP-1 medications like Zepbound. On July 1, Caremark will no longer prefer Zepbound in its standard formulary, replacing the drug instead with Novo Nordisk's Wegovy. As a result, Zepbound will likely cost more for Caremark clients to cover on their prescription drug plans, while Wegovy will cost less. Patients currently taking Zepbound will be able to transition to Wegovy, a CVS spokesperson said. It's a significant move in the coverage landscape for GLP-1s, which have shown efficacy in helping people lose weight but are significantly expensive, with prices surpassing $1,000 each month before discounts. Cost concerns have kept many insurers and employers from covering the drugs and, along with shortages of the medications, stymied access for many Americans. 'Now that both Zepbound and Wegovy are available in adequate supply, CVS Caremark was able to do what PBMs do best: compete clinically similar products against one another, and choose the option that delivers the lowest net cost for our clients,' the CVS spokesperson said. The spokesperson did not comment directly on how much in savings Caremark negotiated for Wegovy, but said that Caremark passes along more than 99% of all rebates to its clients. At this time, CVS is not forecasting any major earnings boost from the deal. But it could help Caremark by enticing more clients to the PBM's weight management program, which pairs GLP-1 access with lifestyle and clinical support. CVS' pharmacy business — the largest retail drugstore chain in the nation — should also benefit. Novo Nordisk has selected CVS Pharmacy to sell Wegovy for $499, or less than half its list price, to cash-paying customers. 'It's unknown at this point how the migration from the compounded pharmacies into other pharmacy settings are going to occur but we do expect there will be obviously some benefit by opening up 9,000 stores, 9,000 opportunities for patients to get the medication,' Joyner said. The deal comes as part of a larger program Novo Nordisk launched earlier this week that includes partnerships with telehealth companies like Hims & Hers to sell Wegovy at a lower price. Novo Nordisk's stock was up about 2% while Eli Lilly's stock fell more than 7% following the news. However, during a Thursday morning call to discuss its own first quarter earnings, Eli Lilly's CEO appeared to brush off CVS and Novo Nordisk's partnership, saying that the drugmaker is focused on its direct relationships with consumers instead of deals with middlemen. 'The private pay market is an important segment. We'd like to grow that segment, and we'd like to grow choice and access in that segment. So we're not interested at all in deals reducing access and choice for doctors and patients,' Dave Ricks told investors. As for CVS, the company's health services unit, which includes Caremark, reported adjusted operating income up 18% year over year to $1.6 billion in the quarter. CVS' pharmacy and wellness unit saw its adjusted operating income grow 12% to $1.3 billion, thanks to increased prescription volume. CVS has focused on stabilizing reimbursement for its pharmacies, efforts that appear to be bearing fruit. However, its stores could be pressured this year due to tariffs and the chance of lower vaccine volumes stemming from consumer hesitancy and potential changes to immunization protocols from Trump administration officials increasingly skeptical of proven immunizations, especially COVID-19 shots. Pharmacy is performing 'as well as we would expect, with the one caution to watch out is the vaccines and immunizations as we anticipate volume impacts depending on the government actions before the end of this year,' Joyner said. Recommended Reading CVS successfully converts commercial pharmacy contracts to 'cost plus' model Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
07-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
InnovationRx: Aetna Withdraws From The ACA Exchanges
In this week's edition of InnovationRx, we look at Aetna's withdrawal from the ACA exchanges, the potential for digital health consolidation, high error rates from new AI models, a radioisotope deal and more. To get it in your inbox, subscribe here . CVS chief executive David Joyner Bloomberg Finance Health insurer Aetna is leaving the Affordable Care Act's individual marketplaces starting in 2026. The move marks the second time Aetna withdrew from the space: It previously pulled out in 2018 and came back in 2021. Aetna's departure will leave some 1 million members in 17 states searching for new health insurance for next year. Though that's a fraction of the more than 24 million Americans who signed up for coverage on the exchanges last fall, it is significant and comes at a time when the Trump Administration and Republicans are making it more difficult for health insurers to sell Obamacare. CVS Health, which owns Aetna, made the announcement of its pullback during its first-quarter earnings call last Thursday. CEO David Joyner told investors on the call that the company was 'disappointed by the continued underperformance' of Aetna's exchange plans, and that Aetna had determined that there was no strategy for it to improve its position in the market. CVS expects to lose as much as $400 million this year on those plans. The ACA marketplaces sell health insurance to people who are younger than age 65 and who don't have coverage through an employer or with Medicaid. Former President Biden expanded subsidies to people who buy insurance on the Obamacare exchanges in order to make health coverage more affordable, but those subsidies are at risk of expiring at yearend under President Trump. With Aetna's withdrawal, a big question is whether other insurers will follow suit , leaving people who rely on the individual marketplaces for their health insurance with fewer options. Fabric CEO Aniq Rahman Fabric Aniq Rahman, founder and CEO of digital health startup Fabric, has bought four companies over the past two years, including Walmart's telehealth business . He expects to buy more. 'In the current market, there have been so many interesting opportunities that have come up,' Rahman told Forbes. 'I would expect we'll announce one or two more acquisitions this year.' Call it a sign of the coming digital health shakeout. After growing like gangbusters, there are a number of reasons that the market is poised for consolidation. Companies with good technology may not have the reach to go it alone, while others that received venture funding may now lack the cash to expand or can only raise funds at a depressed valuation. Meanwhile, some larger companies, under pressure from Trump's tariffs, are refocusing. Rahman, a Forbes 30 Under 30 alum who sold his last company to Oracle in 2017 for an undisclosed sum, started Fabric four years ago to develop technology aimed at improving emergency room operations. Since then, it has expanded into other areas of digital health, including chatbots and telemedicine, helped by $80 million in funding from investors that include Drive Capital, General Catalyst and GV. Venture capital database Pitchbook pegs the company's valuation at $370 million. Rahman argues that a big problem with digital technology in healthcare is that health systems bought different pieces of tech–a chatbot here, say, and a symptom checker there–that don't speak to each other well. That, he said, has led to opportunities for companies that can pull those different parts together. 'We're looking at dozens of opportunities actively,' he said. 'There's just so much stuff we are seeing. It's coming from everywhere.' BIOTECH AND PHARMA Nuclear fusion company Shine, which manufactures medical isotopes for radiation therapy, announced plans to acquire the SPECT product portfolio from Massachusetts-based nuclear medicine company Lantheus Holdings for an undisclosed sum that includes both cash and a convertible note. The purchase in Lantheus stock dropped more than 20% Wednesday morning after the deal was announced. DIGITAL HEALTH AND AI The most recent advanced reasoning models from AI companies OpenAI and DeepSeek turn out higher rates of errors than previous models, according to independent tests by AI company Vectara. For particular applications, the AI models hallucinate (i.e. generate false information) at rates as high as 79%. Although the models studied were general reasoning models, not ones specific to healthcare, these results raise concerns about use of these models in clinical settings–especially since large numbers of physicians have reported using AI tools as part of their decision-making process. PUBLIC HEALTH AND HOSPITALS The FDA named Dr. Vinay Prasad , a harsh critic of the government's response to the Covid-19 pandemic who has been accused of using his social media platform to spread misinformation about vaccines, to lead its biologics and vaccines division. Former longtime director, Dr. Peter Marks, resigned in March, saying in his resignation letter that 'truth and transparency are not desired by the Secretary [Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.], but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.' Plus: Care advocates and caregivers led by the groups Caring Across Generations and Care Can't Wait plan to hold a 24-hour vigil for Medicaid at the U.S. Capitol starting Wednesday afternoon. Republicans have been threatening Medicaid, which covers some 80 million Americans. WHAT WE'RE READING As the Trump administration cuts health funding, it bets $500 million on universal vaccines , but in a shift from previous administrations, the money is focused on whole inactivated viruses, a decades-old technology that's less likely to produce results than newer mRNA vaccines. Recursion cut three of its most advanced drug programs—inevitable given the company's 'unsustainable cash burn,' says one analyst. The once-hot AI company has seen its stock fall more than 85% from the peak. A snake enthusiast survived more than 800 bites to build up immunity. Now his blood is helping research for a universal antivenom. Republicans target a Medicaid loophole used by 49 states to increase federal matching funds. Red states could be hit hardest if it's cut. A patient had a tumor strangling her spinal cord near the base of her skull. Doctors removed it through the patient's eye in a risky surgery that had never been done before. Rite Aid filed for bankruptcy for the second time in two years. The financially strapped drugstore chain had 'been teetering on the edge of survival for some time,' one analyst told CNN. Imports of pharmaceuticals are surging as manufacturers are looking to stockpile supplies ahead of expected tariffs. Nineteen states are suing Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. over his restructuring of the Health and Human Services Department, arguing that it represents 'an unlawful effort to undercut the will of Congress.' MORE FROM FORBES Forbes 48 Great Colleges Here And Abroad That Are Still Accepting Applications By Emma Whitford Forbes Why Stablecoin Issuers Could Displace Japan And China As The Biggest Buyers Of U.S. Treasury Securities By Nina Bambysheva Forbes Inside The Waymo Factory Building A Robotaxi Future By Alan Ohnsman
Miami Herald
02-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
CVS makes it easier, cheaper to get popular weightloss drugs
Many people like to mock celebrities for using the various popular weight loss drugs. "Saturday Night Live" recently did a sketch making fun of Ozempic and the topic has been ripe for late night comedians. The joke is that these drugs are all about vanity, and that may be true for Hollywood stars. People who can afford private chefs, personal trainers, and all sorts of other support may not need this sort of pharmaceutical intervention. Related: Domino's Pizza suffers a startling loss as customers switch gears For many regular people, however, these drugs are lifesavers. And while they have been portrayed as miracle drugs, the reality is that they are just part of living a healthier lifestyle. Many people need these drugs to keep conditions like diabetes and heart related ailments in check. The category, known as GLP-1s, has been very difficult to get even for people with a medical need. Supplies have been limited, and in some cases they have gone to customers who can afford to pay full price. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter It's a difficult situation because the demand for these drugs is very high and insurance has not been super cooperative when it comes to approving them. CVS CEO David Joyner talked about both weightloss, drugs, and other life-changing medications during his company's first-quarter earnings call. Joyner was open during the call about the problems CVS Health (CVS) faces. He literally called the healthcare system "broken," and shared a number of ways his company plans to fix it. "Another critical component of earning the trust of our customers is enhancing access and making the cost of life-changing medications more affordable," he shared. The CEO provided concrete examples. "We led the market in driving the adoption of Humira biosimilars, delivering over a billion dollars of savings for our clients. A year after we revitalized the biosimilar market with our launch of Cordavis, our low cost Humira biosimilar. It has the largest market share in the U.S.," he explained. Food and Dining news: Domino's Pizza unveils generous deal amid alarming consumer trendSteak 'n Shake's beef tallow fries aren't as healthy as they appearThe Cheesecake Factory makes bittersweet changes to its menu Humira is an incredibly useful drug used to treat many inflammatory conditions in adults, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), plaque psoriasis, and a skin condition called hidradenitis suppurativa. Humira is also used in adults and children to treat Crohn's disease, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and uveitis, according to Joyner shared that CVS now wants to improve access to GLP-1s. Joyner made it clear that the decision to work to bring better access to GLP-1s was not about customers wanting to look better. "Today, we're leading the way forward on GLP-1s. These innovative drugs, which can have a meaningful impact on people's health, were launched at prices that pressured our clients' budgets," he shared. CVS has taken steps to correct that. "To address this, we were pleased to announce that we are partnering with Novo Nordisk to significantly increase access to Wegovy for our members at a more affordable price," he shared. The CEO also noted that CVS' wide reach into local communities allows it to do more than just fill a prescription. "We can increase the power of GLP-1s by combining them with additional lifestyle clinical support as part of our CVS weight management program offered to our clients through Caremark. This combination allows members to achieve better outcomes and even greater weight loss than the pre-program results," he added. Related: Coca-Cola suffers an alarming loss from major boycott Joyner tried to make it clear that CVS wants to make accessing needed medicine easier for customers. "Additionally, we are the first retail pharmacy in the NovoCare pharmacy network. This will enable us to provide convenient, safe and affordable access to Wegovy for eligible patients at our 9,000 community health locations across the country. Taken together, this demonstrates the value of our integrated model and what CVS Health does day in and day out," he shared. The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
