Latest news with #Greenstein
Winnipeg Free Press
24-05-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Trade war's furry victims
Opinion In war, collateral damage harming the innocent is among its greatest tragedies. A trade war may not be a true travesty but it does inflict pain. And it's often consumers, not the governments lobbing tariffs at each other, taking it on the chin. That's true of Canadian tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods from the United States. Those retaliations for U.S. President Donald Trump's attack on Canada's economy and, arguably, the nation's sovereignty, are inflicting collateral damage on Canadian consumers. Freepik Some veterinary services have increased as much as 50 per cent in the last year. Even our furry friends cannot escape the impacts, as pet food and supplies from the U.S. are tariffed. Even more financially ominous are those levies on U.S.-origin veterinary supplies and equipment. Diagnostic, sterilizing and other equipment made in America are also subject to 25 per cent tariffs, likely increasing the cost of care. A recent study by Rover — a provider of dog-walking and other pet services — noted some veterinary services have already increased as much as 50 per cent in the last year, without the tariffs. Rising costs are an issue Toronto-based veterinarian Rebecca Greenstein has seen first-hand at her independently owned clinic — even before tariffs hit. 'Inflation has obviously played a role, but we're seeing, especially from the Rover survey, increased anxiety over the impact of tariffs.' Notably, equipment cost increases will push higher the cost of the most financially painful procedures: surgeries. Vet care had been rising across North America before tariffs not only because of post-COVID-19 pandemic, demand-induced inflation. Private equity investment — capitalists buying independent vet clinics — has driven costs higher, too, as noted in one recent CBC investigative report. Greenstein's clinic is independently owned and she notes having more wiggle room to keep costs down by absorbing them as much as possible rather than passing them onto owners. But private equity or independently owned, absorbing a 25 per cent price jump is challenging. It's likely Canadian pet owners will feel the brunt of it. The Rover study bears this out with 63 per cent of respondents admitting pet costs have weighed on their budget recently. Rover's 2025 Cost of Pet Parenthood Report estimates the price tag of bringing home a puppy has gone up 17 per cent this year, with upfront costs ranging from $1,750 to nearly $4,700. Greenstein adds many surgeries today cost more than $10,000, easily liquidating most folks' emergency funds. Given the high cost, an ounce of prevention is often worth several thousands dollars of acute care, she adds. 'When a pet becomes so sick we have no choice but to hospitalize the animal, run a lot of diagnostics and perform life-saving procedures, the cost goes up tremendously,' Greenstein notes. 'Yet often had the pet owner brought their pet to us earlier,' care likely would have been less invasive and costly. All of this speaks to the need to consider expenses more before getting a pet, says Anne Arbour, director of partnerships and education at Credit Counselling Society in Toronto. 'Pets are an emotional decision, so people don't often think about the impact it can have on their finances.' Budgeting for those costs is absolutely something prospective owners be doing, she adds. Otherwise, the risks of difficult choices — emotional and economic — at some juncture increase. Local animal shelters see the outcomes of poorly planned pet choices almost daily. 'There are requests multiple times a week and many are because people can't afford their pets,' says Chelsey Hayden, director with Tails of Freedom Rescue, a no-kill animal shelter in Winnipeg. 'The main thing is they (owners) can't afford to get them (their pets) spayed or neutered or they can't afford to buy food anymore.' Freepik She adds the cost of spay/neuter procedures have increased, with many people calling the shelter surprised to see estimates from a vet running more than $400 to spay a cat. The cost for a dog is even higher, Hayden notes. Add in vaccinations and deworming, 'and sometimes you're looking at a $600 bill.' These high costs can lead to pet abandonment for cash-crunched owners, Hayden says. In turn, they don't spay or neuter, and the female cat yowls every time it goes into heat and unfixed males can spray, marking their territory (in the house) with pungent urine. 'So we end up with people calling, 'I don't want this cat anymore; either take it today, or I am throwing it outside.'' That makes the overall problem of stray animals worse. They tend to reproduce quickly, making more strays. Tails of Freedom is one of many shelters in the Manitoba capital. It alone takes in more than 500 animals (mostly cats) every year, barely making a dent in demand for its services. Given the outcomes, Hayden, too, recommends would-be owners truly consider costs, especially when it comes to the so-called free kitten. It is anything but, if they want to provide proper care. Households thinking of taking on a pet do have lower-cost alternatives. That includes fostering for a local shelter, whereby an animal stays with them until adopted. 'I always suggest fostering because it costs nothing,' Hayden says. 'We cover all the vetting, food and supplies and you really just get to enjoy the time with the animal.' Tuesdays A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world. Of course, the downside is as a foster parent, you may fall in love with the animal. 'But at least you can adopt with all the vetting (spay/neuter, vaccines, etc.) complete,' she says. That said, pet adoption does involve fees of a few hundred dollars, though typically much less than the Rover study's estimate. 'It is very hard to let them (foster animals) go,' Hayden says. 'But it would be harder to turn your back on them knowing they might never find a home.' Joel Schlesinger is a Winnipeg-based freelance journalist joelschles@
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New Louisiana health initiative aims to address maternal overdose mortality crisis
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A new project called Project M.O.M. launched within the Louisiana Department of Health seeks to reduce maternal overdose death rates. The initiative was announced on April 21 among several other health initiatives outlined by newly reappointed LDH Secretary Bruce Greenstein. He said Project M.O.M. aims to reduce opioid overdose deaths in expecting mothers by 80% in the next three years. 'Accidental opioid overdose has been the leading cause of pregnancy-associated death in Louisiana since 2018, and this is a statewide effort to reverse that terrible trend,' Deputy Secretary Dr. Pete Croughan said. 'Every preventable death is a tragedy, but the death of a pregnant woman or young mom doubles the tragedy, as the loss of the mother endangers her child.' Objectives of the program include increasing substance use screening, improving access to care, connecting hospital and emergency department encounters to rapid outpatient treatment, and increasing accessibility to naloxone, a medicine used to reverse opioid overdoses. LDH said five birthing hospitals participated in the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative's Naloxone Pilot Project in 2024, which resulted in nearly 100 moms leaving the hospital with a lifesaving opioid referral agent. Baton Rouge's Woman's Hospital has a program helping those with addiction. The free Guiding Recovery and Creating Empowerment (GRACE) Program provides resources to mothers before and after birth. US overdose deaths far outpace other countries: Report Carrie Templeton was named director of the program. According to LDH, she previously held executive roles at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center, Lafayette General Surgical Hospital, Iberia Medical Center, and Lafayette General Health. 'Carrie's leadership in women and children's health, together with her passion for improving care coordination, make her a great fit to lead Project M.O.M. She has the skill set and capabilities needed to bring together many existing efforts and align them in a way that improves access to care,' Greenstein said. LDH said Templeton will work with hospital and community partners to develop an implementation plan to track data and performance in the next 90 days. Greenstein said hospitals and providers have expressed excitement about the initiative. 'I am very excited about the vision for Project M.O.M. By improving access and care for pregnant women with substance use disorders (SUDs), we will enhance care for all pregnant women and strengthen the overall system of care for individuals with SUD,' Templeton said. Audit flags $250M in questioned costs, repeat compliance failures at Louisiana health department Trump agenda bill would block Medicaid from covering gender-affirming care Baton Rouge man accused of hitting officer with his vehicle and nearly injuring another Report identifies 10 US beaches that are 'hotspots' for bacteria Photos: 2025 Carb Day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway 'I'm sincerely sorry': Billy Joel cancels all concerts after being diagnosed with brain disorder Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Louisiana health officials to talk about new initiatives, priorities for agency
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Leaders from the Louisiana Department of Health, including new Secretary Bruce Greenstein, will highlight its priorities and new initiatives Monday afternoon. Greenstein was reappointed as secretary by Gov. Jeff Landry on April 11. He previously served in the role during the Gov. Bobby Jindal administration. His professional experience includes working in the public and private sectors in health care for the last 30 years. Surgeon General Ralph Abraham said Greenstein is a 'critical addition' to the team as the agency aims to bring change in the state. Health officials said there is a need to shift focus away from vaccine promotion and to broader health care concerns. A Feb. 13 memo emphasized informed consent and doctor-patient discussions as the primary approach to vaccination. 'We will be a unified front that takes a creative approach to improving health outcomes and providing better services to Louisiana residents,' Abraham said. A state audit flagged more than $250 million in questioned federal costs and repeated deficiencies in Medicaid oversight and financial reporting. According to the report released this month, LDH resolved only one of the prior year's audit findings. Ten issues from last year remained unresolved. Over the weekend, the first measles case for 2025 in Louisiana was reported. LDH confirmed the case involved an unvaccinated New Orleans patient who was exposed to measles during an international trip. Outbreaks have been confirmed in multiple states, including neighboring state Texas. MAP: Where are the biggest measles outbreaks in the US right now? Greenstein, Abraham and the agency's executive management team will discuss new initiatives in a Baton Rouge press conference at 4 p.m. Monday, April 21. Louisiana First News will stream updates live in this article. Syphilis cases drop statewide but rise in Baton Rouge, LDH says The surprising brands behind 'American made' cars Alert issued for pork product that may contain metal Denham Springs Spring Festival: What to know before going White House holds annual Easter egg roll Trump defends Hegseth: 'Ask the Houthis how he's doing' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Jeff Landry picks formerly indicted Jindal official to run Louisiana health department again
Gov. Jeff Landry has picked Bruce Greenstein, for health secretary of Louisiana. Greenstein is pictured here with former Vice President Mike Pence and President Donald Trump. () Gov. Jeff Landry has selected a former Gov. Bobby Jindal cabinet member who was charged with lying to a grand jury under oath to oversee billions of dollars of spending as the Louisiana Department of Health secretary. The Republican governor picked Bruce Greenstein, one of Landry's largest political donors who previously worked for Donald Trump, to run the state health department for a second time. In the position, Greenstein would oversee Louisiana's $21.4 billion health care budget, including its $19 billion Medicaid program. Greenstein first served as Louisiana health secretary under Jindal from 2010-13. He was forced out of the job after Jindal discovered the federal government was investigating Greenstein's role in the award of a nearly $200 million state Medicaid contract to Greenstein's previous employer, Client Network Services Inc. (CNSI). The federal government never brought charges against Greenstein, and the former health secretary was never convicted of a crime. A state grand jury indicted him on perjury charges, but Greenstein was never prosecuted on them. He repeatedly denied all wrongdoing at the time. The Illuminator first reported last week that Landry intended to pick Greenstein as his top health care official. Greenstein did not respond to calls or messages from a reporter sent to his cell phone in the hours before the announcement of his hiring Friday. 'Having served as Secretary of Health in Louisiana before, I know firsthand the unique challenges and opportunities our state faces,' Greenstein said in written statement provided by Landry's office. 'Now, as I step into this role again, I'm more committed than ever to building on the progress we've made and driving meaningful change.' In order for him to hold the job permanently, the Louisiana Senate will have to confirm Greenstein as health secretary during lawmakers' upcoming session that starts Monday. But Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, already expressed support for Greenstein in a press release sent from Landry's office. 'I applaud Governor Landry for this appointment, and I am confident Bruce will do a fantastic job,' Henry said in the written statement. Even though Jindal pushed Greenstein out of his job in 2013, the former Louisiana governor had nothing but praise last week for Landry's decision to hire Greenstein. 'Bruce would be a great choice. He has a great mix of private sector, federal and state experience. He would hit the ground running, and not need on the job training,' Jindal said in a written statement last Friday. 'He would work tirelessly to improve health outcomes and control costs.' Despite his legal troubles, Greenstein is an attractive hire for Landry because he is familiar with public health care financing, particularly Medicaid. Many people in Landry's administration do not have long-term experience in health care accounting, federal Medicaid regulations or the state budget. 'There is no one more qualified than Bruce,' Landry said in a written statement Friday. 'I look forward to the great work he, Doctor Abraham, and the entire LDH team will do for the State of Louisiana.' As the new secretary, Greenstein replaces Michael Harrington, a former hospital executive who held the top position at the health department for eight months before resigning in March. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A little over a decade ago, former Attorney General Buddy Caldwell convened the state grand jury that indicted Greenstein. He was charged with nine counts of perjury for allegedly lying to a Louisiana Senate committee and the grand jury about a state Medicaid contract with his former employer CNSI. Those state charges against Greenstein were eventually dropped by Landry after he beat Caldwell in the 2015 election for attorney general, a job Landry held for eight years before becoming governor. At the time, Landry's staff said they didn't think the state could meet the burden of proof to convict Greenstein. The prosecutor on the case, Caldwell's son, David, had left the attorney general's office shortly after Landry defeated his father in the election. CNSI, which changed its name to Acentra Health after a merger in 2023, also gave Landry's campaign and a Landry political action committee $52,500 during his race against Caldwell, according to campaign finance reports. Greenstein, who pleaded not guilty in the state perjury case, initially said he had very little contact with CNSI as the company bid for Louisiana's Medicaid business. An investigation later revealed Greenstein had exchanged hundreds of messages with its executives. He also recommended state officials adjust the terms of the state Medicaid bid, which allowed CNSI to meet the criteria and apply for the work. At the time, Greenstein defended himself by saying his exchanges with CNSI executives were mostly personal and that he never took a bribe from the company. He's good friends with some of his former CNSI coworkers, and the conversations were casual, he said. 'It never crossed my mind that my friends or my texts were with a company,' Greenstein told a grand jury in late 2014. After the charges were dropped, Greenstein went on to join Trump's administration as the chief technology officer at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In 2018, he left the federal government to become an executive at LHC Group, a Lafayette business that was, at the time, one of the country's largest home health care companies. The company has since been sold to UnitedHealth, a national insurance company that also manages one of Louisiana's Medicaid plans. LHC Group's founder and chief executive officer emeritus, Keith Myers, is one of the biggest political donors to Landry, with contributions totaling more than $600,000 to his campaigns and PACs since 2017. Brach Myers, Keith's son and another executive at LHC, is a state senator representing Lafayette. Though he was never convicted of a crime, Greenstein's legal troubles cost Louisiana money years after he left state government. Independent of the grand jury investigation, Jindal canceled Louisiana's contract with CNSI in 2013 on the grounds that Greenstein had inappropriate contact with the company during the state bid process. This resulted in CNSI suing Louisiana for wrongful termination, a legal dispute that dragged on for years until former Gov. John Bel Edwards settled with the company in 2016. Before the case was settled, CNSI's attorneys had sought depositions from several members of the Jindal administration, including now-Attorney General Liz Murrill. When the CNSI contract was canceled, Murrill was the general counsel for Jindal's commissioner of administration, Kristy Nichols, and involved in the decision to give CNSI the boot. Nichols is now an executive at Ochsner Health, Louisiana's largest hospital system. Despite his spotty past in state government, Landry has leaned on Greenstein for advice on health care policy for the past two years. Greenstein was one of 28 members on Landry's health care advisory council after he won the gubernatorial election in 2023. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Landry considers putting formerly indicted Jindal official in charge of health department again
Gov. Jeff Landry is considering Bruce Greenstein, for health secretary of Louisiana. Greenstein is pictured here with former Vice President Mike Pence and President Donald Trump. () Gov. Jeff Landry might put a former Louisiana agency leader who was charged with lying to a grand jury under oath back in his old position overseeing billions of dollars at the Louisiana Department of Health. The Republican governor is vetting Bruce Greenstein, who also worked for President Donald Trump, to become Louisiana's health secretary for a second time, according to multiple people familiar with conversations taking place. In the position, Greenstein would oversee Louisiana's $21.4 billion health care budget, including its $19 billion Medicaid program. Greenstein first served as health secretary under former Gov. Bobby Jindal from 2010-13. He resigned after Jindal discovered the federal government was investigating Greenstein's role in the award of a nearly $200 million state Medicaid contract to Greenstein's previous employer, Client Network Services Inc. (CNSI). Despite the investigation, the federal government never brought charges against Greenstein, and the former health secretary was never convicted of a crime, even after being indicted by a state grand jury. He repeatedly denied wrongdoing at the time. Five people who work for Louisiana's health care industry told the Illuminator that Landry was seriously considering Greenstein for the health secretary job. At least four had knowledge of conversations taking place amongst the governor's staff or state health department officials. They spoke on the condition of anonymity out of concern that they could face retribution from Landry. The Landry administration declined Friday to answer questions about Greenstein, who could not be reached through his cellphone or text messages for comment. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Greenstein would be an attractive hire for Landry because he has intimate knowledge of public health care financing, particularly Medicaid, and is well liked despite his legal troubles. Many people in Landry's administration do not have long-term experience in health care accounting, federal Medicaid regulations or the state budget. On Friday, even Jindal praised Landry for considering Greenstein for the job. 'Bruce would be a great choice. He has a great mix of private sector, federal and state experience. He would hit the ground running, and not need on the job training,' Jindal said in a written statement. 'He would work tirelessly to improve health outcomes and control costs.' The former governor did not address the controversy surrounding Greenstein when he suddenly left the Jindal administration over a decade ago. While the federal government didn't pursue a case, then-Attorney General Buddy Caldwell convened a state grand jury that indicted Greenstein in 2014. He was charged with nine counts of perjury for allegedly lying to a Louisiana Senate committee and the grand jury about the Medicaid contract. Those state charges against Greenstein were eventually dropped by Landry after he beat Caldwell in the 2015 election and took over as attorney general, a job Landry held for eight years before becoming governor. At the time, Landry's staff said they didn't think the state could meet the burden of proof to convict Greenstein. The prosecutor on the case, Caldwell's son, David, left the attorney general's office shortly after Landry beat his father in the election. CNSI, which changed its name to Acentra Health after a merger in 2023, also gave Landry's campaign and a Landry political action committee $52,500 during his race against Caldwell, according to campaign finance reports. Greenstein, who pleaded not guilty in the state perjury case, initially said he had very little contact with CNSI as the company bid for Louisiana's Medicaid business. But an investigation later revealed Greenstein had exchanged hundreds of messages with its executives. He also recommended state officials adjust the terms of the state Medicaid bid, which allowed CNSI to meet the criteria and apply for the work. At the time, Greenstein defended himself by saying his exchanges with CNSI executives were mostly personal and that he never took a bribe from the company. He's good friends with some of his former CNSI coworkers, and the conversations were casual, he said. 'It never crossed my mind that my friends or my texts were with a company,' Greenstein told a grand jury in late 2014. After the charges were dropped, Greenstein went on to join President Donald Trump's administration as the chief technology officer at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE In 2018, he left the federal government to become an executive at LHC Group, a Lafayette business that was, at the time, one of the country's largest home health care companies. The company has since been sold to UnitedHealth, a national insurance company that also manages one of Louisiana's Medicaid plans. LHC Group's founder and chief executive officer emeritus, Keith Myers, is one of the biggest political donors to Landry, with contributions totaling more than $600,000 to his campaigns and PACs since 2017. Brach Myers, Keith's son and another executive at LHC, is a state senator representing Lafayette. Though he was never convicted of a crime, Greenstein's legal troubles cost Louisiana money years after he left state government. Independent of the grand jury investigation, Jindal canceled Louisiana's contract with CNSI in 2013 on the grounds that Greenstein had inappropriate contact with the company during the state bid process. This resulted in CNSI suing Louisiana for wrongful termination, a legal dispute that dragged on for years until former Gov. John Bel Edwards settled with the company in 2016. Before the case was settled, CNSI's attorneys had sought depositions from several members of the Jindal administration, including now-Attorney General Liz Murrill. When the CNSI contract was canceled, Murrill was the general counsel for Jindal's commissioner of administration, Kristy Nichols, and involved in the decision to give CNSI the boot. Yet Landry has relied on Greenstein for advice on health care policy since before he become governor. Greenstein was one of 28 members on Landry's health care advisory council after he won the gubernatorial election in 2023. If Landry appoints Greenstein to be health secretary, he will have to be confirmed by the Louisiana Senate to hold the position permanently during lawmakers' upcoming session that starts April 14. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
