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Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Duckworth warns Medicaid cuts will impact 60,000 people in Peoria County
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — The Senate budget bill would kick 60,000 people in Peoria County off Medicaid, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) said at a Thursday press conference with local health care advocates and Medicaid recipients about the consequences of Medicaid cuts. The Senate's version of the budget bill, released Monday, includes even deeper cuts to Medicaid than the House bill. It imposes stiffer work requirements, while the House version provided some exemptions. 'We are, again, at a tipping point where the health and even the lives of millions of Americans are at risk because President Trump and his heartless Republican cronies. Make no mistake, there's no way to fund Trump's $4 trillion in tax cuts for the billionaire class without putting it on the backs of Americans who are already struggling to pay the bills,' said Duckworth. In the state of Illinois, 3.4 million people depend on Medicaid, including nearly 60,000 people in Peoria County. One of those recipients is Dallas Anne Prentice from Chillicothe, a stay-at-home mom with rare genetic disabilities that prevent her from working. Her prescriptions would cost $2,000 without Medicaid. Right now, she pays $40 a month. She said losing her Medicaid benefits would be a death sentence. 'So the consequences are quite literally, I die. I require my medication and my regular health care to be able to simply function, to get out of bed in the morning. And if I lose my health care, my children lose their mother. I am telling you with all honesty, without Medicaid, I wouldn't be alive today. That's not an exaggeration,' she said. The Senate budget bill also caps Medicaid reimbursements to states, which would then have to pick up the tab. In rural areas like Peoria County, Duckworth said Medicaid covers more than 50% of services. 'So, for states that like Illinois, for example, we were the first state in the country that extended post-natal care for a year. We would have to fund 100% of that, when that was more of a matching with the federal government. And so it's a way to push the costs onto the states, which the states can't fund without saying, oh, we're cutting post-natal care,' said Duckworth. Tracy Warner is, executive director of Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network, which represents 60 small and rural hospitals across the state. She said three in four patients at these hospitals depend on Medicaid or Medicare. 'For these hospitals, Medicaid is not a side issue; it's a lifeline. When Medicaid funding is cut, the impact is immediate and painful. More than 40% of rural hospitals in Illinois are operating at a financial loss. These hospitals are already facing low reimbursement rates, workforce shortages, and rising costs,' she said. Medicaid cuts will push these rural hospitals even further into financial distress, Warner said. Hospitals will be forced to make difficult decisions like cutting services and jobs, which will also impact people who are not on Medicaid. 'That ripple does not stop at hospital doors. When a rural hospital cuts services, local jobs are affected, small businesses lose customers, and patients are forced to travel even longer distances for basic care,' she said. 'So that compounding impact, especially on a rural communities, is very real and very significant to the extent that it will be absolutely devastating not only for health care and health care access, but our economies across the state and across the country as well,' added Duckworth. U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.) sent a statement to WMBD defending Medicaid cuts in response to Duckworth's presser. 'House Republicans are focused on strengthening and investing in Medicaid for those who need it most by ensuring the program continues to provide high-quality patient care for expectant mothers, children, people with disabilities, and the elderly. To protect Medicaid for future generations, we must establish a common-sense approach to address waste, fraud, and abuse. House Republicans have taken a scalpel approach by enacting work requirements for the 4.8 million able-bodied adults without dependents who are choosing not to work and removing 1.4 million illegal immigrants from the program. I remain committed to supporting rural and underserved communities and prioritizing care for our nation's most vulnerable populations.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
01-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
This over-the-top Florida mansion — home to a life-size replica of the Oval Office — will list for $23.6M
It's not the White House, but it might as well be. A sprawling estate on the shores of Lake Thonotosassa, just outside Tampa, Florida, is set to hit market for $23.6 million — complete with a 900-square-foot replica of the Oval Office. Built in 2012 by the late healthcare entrepreneur Tom Simpson and his wife, June, the custom-designed property spans 22 acres and reflects the couple's distinct passions, from American history to Major League Baseball. Advertisement The oval-shaped room, which features a copy of the Resolute Desk and was decorated annually with official White House ornaments, was a particular source of joy for Tom, June Simpson told the Wall Street Journal, which first reported this listing. 26 The home is situated on 22 acres. Ryan Ascone 26 The foyer features a spiral staircase. Ryan Ascone Advertisement 26 Highlights of the estate include a 900-square-foot Oval Office. Ryan Ascone 26 The Oval Office replica features a copy of the Resolute Desk and was decorated annually with official White House ornaments. Ryan Ascone 26 The office features a replica with a 'National Treasure' film prop desk. Ryan Ascone 'It was just something he wanted,' she told the Journal. 'It made him happy.' Advertisement The desk was previously used in the film 'National Treasure,' she added. The Simpsons, who sold their company Health Advocates to AmerisourceBergen for $83 million in 2006, acquired the Thonotosassa land in stages beginning around 2008. 26 The roughly 25,000-square-foot home in Thonotosassa was built in 2012 by Tom and June Simpson, who spent about $18 million creating a deeply personal space that showcases Tom's love of history, baseball and music. Ryan Ascone 26 An aerial view of the resort style pool. Ryan Ascone Advertisement 26 The couple, who sold their company Health Advocates for $83 million in 2006, also hosted elaborate parties and even staged a Navy SEAL reenactment on the 22-acre property. Ryan Ascone 26 Following Tom's death in 2024, June is selling the estate, which can also be purchased in parts. Ryan Ascone 26 The residence boats different unique spaces including a performance room. Ryan Ascone June Simpson said the location appealed to them in part because of her interest in gardening, though much of the interior was tailored to Tom's extensive memorabilia collections. Among the standout spaces is a baseball-themed room outfitted with a custom rug designed like a diamond, vintage Yankee Stadium seats and display cases for Tom's Atlanta Braves memorabilia. The room, which cost about $150,000 to build, was a frequent gathering spot for events, hosting 30 to 40 people at a time. 26 A concession stand. Ryan Ascone 26 The movie theater. Ryan Ascone Advertisement 26 The outdoor kitchen. Ryan Ascone 26 An outdoor lounge area. Ryan Ascone 26 The outdoor gardens. Ryan Ascone Elsewhere in the home, a hallway known as the 'Walk of Fame' showcases signed guitars used by performers like The Beach Boys and Aerosmith, along with floor plaques honoring celebrities the couple met, including Tom Hanks, Elton John, Lady Gaga and Cher. Advertisement The estate also includes an indoor lagoon with a waterfall and has hosted a variety of events, including one for the US Navy SEALs. During the occasion, June recalled how they pretended to kidnap her son and used dogs and simulated gunfire to stage a rescue. 'It was unbelievable,' she said. 26 The hone boasts a 'Walk of Fame' hallway with guitars used by Aerosmith and The Beach Boys. Ryan Ascone Advertisement 26 A baseball-themed memorabilia room with Yankee Stadium seats. Ryan Ascone 26 The kitchen. Ryan Ascone 26 The formal dining area. Ryan Ascone 26 One of several living spaces. Ryan Ascone Advertisement 26 The home boasts scenic lake views. Ryan Ascone After Tom passed away in 2024 at age 79 following a battle with Parkinson's disease, June decided to sell the home. 'Walking through this house, as beautiful as it is, it's got so many wonderful memories, but I just can't do it,' she said. 'I just can't.' The property, which features six bedroom suites and 12 bathrooms, is listed by Karen L. Hegemeier and Paul DeSantis of Premier Sotheby's International Realty. 26 The listing could top the area's previous record, Derek Jeter's $22.5 million home sale in 2021. Ryan Ascone 26 One of six bedroom suites. Ryan Ascone 26 A second bedroom. Ryan Ascone 26 One of 12 bathrooms. Ryan Ascone 26 A second bathroom. Ryan Ascone It can be purchased in its entirety or in two separate parcels: $18.9 million for the main residence on 14 acres and $4.7 million for the remaining 8 acres, which include a barn and greenhouse. If sold at asking price, the home could surpass Tampa's current record residential sale — Derek Jeter's $22.5 million transaction in 2021. Hegemeier noted that luxury deals in the region have picked up recently as some affluent buyers seek a hedge against market volatility. Wealthy buyers are paying all cash for real estate amid the stock market's unpredictability, Hegemeier said.
