Latest news with #SoniaColeman
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
OK EMS officials concerned over bill reducing ambulance reimbursement rates
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Ambulance services are at the center of a debate at the state capitol. EMS officials are concerned about a new bill and say if passed, it could threaten emergency services. Supporters argue it's about protecting families from rising insurance costs. 'It puts profits over patients, and that's not the point of health care, that's definitely not the point of EMS,' said Sonia Coleman, director of revenue cycle management, EMSA. Senate Bill 1067 would take away local control and give it to the insurance companies. Reimbursement rates for ambulance rides would be reduced from 325 percent of Medicare to 275 percent. This would reverse increases that were approved in a law last year. 'Senate Bill 1067 is a critical step toward ensuring transparency and fairness in ambulance service billing across Oklahoma. By creating a public database for local government ambulance rates and by setting a cap on the administrative out-of-network mandate for ambulance services, the bill will protect Oklahoma families and taxpayers from excessive charges while ensuring the sustainability of our emergency medical response systems.' Sen. Paul Rosino, (R) Oklahoma City Oklahoma Families for Affordable Healthcare claims the law that passed last year is driving up premiums by over three dollars per member per month. 'Oklahoma families and small businesses can't afford rising health insurance costs—and SB 1067 is a smart, balanced fix to a law passed last year that set ambulance reimbursement rates far above market norms. SB 1067 preserves protections against surprise ambulance bills while lowering inflated rates that are driving up premiums. Lawmakers should act now to keep coverage affordable across our state.' Julie McKone, Executive Director, Oklahoma Families for Affordable Healthcare However, EMS officials say reimbursement rates haven't kept up with rising costs. 'Over the last ten years, we've had an increase in the cost for our fuel, for our equipment, for everyday medical supplies that we use,' said Robin Robinson, vice president, Oklahoma Ambulance Association (OKAMA). OKAMA says at least ten providers have already closed or scaled back because of financial strain, and fears this bill could keep the trend going. Robinson is also the director of McClain-Grady County EMS and says these cuts would cost them a full-time position. 'My call volume is increasing. I need more staff; I need more full-time paramedics, and this was going to be a way for me to get that paramedic position paid for. Right now, I don't know if that's going to happen or not,' said Robinson. Rural areas would likely be the most affected. 'If they are not there, then patients will have to wait probably hours in order to have services or they will have to get in their own car and drive outside of their community in order to have services that they need,' said Coleman. Senate Bill 1067 has already passed the Senate and will be heard Tuesday in the House Rules Committee, and if it passes, it will then move to the floor. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Express Tribune
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
America's wokest company Disney reverses DEI policies, makes major changes to classic films
Disney is making major changes to its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, including the removal of content warnings from several classic films on Disney+. The company, long associated with progressive initiatives, has decided to restore beloved titles like Dumbo and Peter Pan to their original form, removing disclaimers about outdated cultural depictions. A memo obtained by Axios revealed that Disney's Chief Human Resources Officer, Sonia Coleman, announced the policy shift on Tuesday. The new advisory will now state, 'This program is presented as originally created and may contain stereotypes or negative depictions,' replacing previous messages that warned of 'negative depictions and/or mistreatment of peoples or cultures.' The decision impacts several films, including The Aristocats , The Jungle Book , and Lady and the Tramp , which had been flagged for racial and cultural stereotypes. In addition to content changes, Disney is eliminating the DEI factor in executive compensation, replacing it with a broader 'talent strategy' that emphasizes success-driven values rather than representation-based hiring. The company is also dissolving its Reimagine Tomorrow initiative, which was designed to amplify voices from underrepresented communities. Disney's move aligns with a broader corporate shift across America as several companies reassess their DEI commitments. CEO Bob Iger, who previously championed socially conscious storytelling, has recently stated that Disney's primary goal is entertainment, not activism. The reversal follows mounting criticism that Disney had prioritized political messaging over storytelling, with Iger previously acknowledging that the company should 'not be agenda-driven.' The policy change comes as major corporations—including Google—pull back from DEI initiatives under new federal directives. President Trump's administration has been actively rolling back DEI policies, with federal agencies ordered to remove materials related to gender ideology and climate initiatives. Disney's latest move signals a significant shift in how entertainment giants approach cultural sensitivity and corporate responsibility.
USA Today
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Disney+ changing content warning about stereotypes, 'negative depictions' before some films: Reports
Disney+ changing content warning about stereotypes, 'negative depictions' before some films: Reports Content warnings were added to older films, including "Dumbo," by Disney due to racist or stereotypical depictions. As Disney+ subscribers click to watch 'Peter Pan," 'Dumbo" and other older films on the streaming app, they will soon notice a different and shortened content advisory notifying them of "stereotypes or negative depictions," according to multiple reports. Disney will change the disclaimer that autoplays before several older titles, Axios and Variety reported Tuesday. According to the reports, the previous disclaimer warned viewers the film "includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of peoples or cultures," while the updated warning will read: 'This program is presented as originally created and may contain stereotypes or negative depictions.' Content warnings were added to older movies, such as "Dumbo," by Disney in November 2019 due to racist depictions shown in the films created and produced by the company in the 1940s and '50s. "This program is presented as originally created,' Disney's warning previously said. 'It may contain outdated cultural depictions.' In October 2020, Disney replaced the content warning with a longer version, as previously reported by USA TODAY: 'This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together. Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe.' USA TODAY contacted Disney on Wednesday but did not immediately receive a response. Disney changes DEI strategy after Donald Trump's executive order The changeup in Disney's content advisories comes alongside other changes with the company's overall diversity strategy, Axios and Variety reported, citing a note sent to employees by Disney's chief human resources officer, Sonia Coleman. Disney will replace its "Diversity & Inclusion" performance factor, which it used to evaluate compensation for executives, with a new "Talent Strategy" factor that is more focused on how values drive business success, according to the note to employees first reported by Axios. Disney is also ending its Reimagine Tomorrow initiative, and the corresponding website, which was created to highlight stories and talent from underrepresented communities, according to the note, the outlet reported. "We have spent the last year partnering with stakeholders across the company to discuss the evolution of our strategic framework for advancing our commitment to being welcoming, respectful, and inclusive in how we operate so we are the best place to work," Coleman wrote in the note to Disney employees, according to the reports. The changes come after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to protect the "civil rights of all Americans" by getting rid of "radical DEI preferencing" in federal contracting and ordering federal agencies to "relentlessly combat private sector discrimination," according to a White House news release. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs consist of a range of policies aimed at eliminating hiring bias and opening career opportunities for people of color, women, and members of the LGBTQ community. Disney returning to being 'entertainment-driven' When Bog Iger returned as Disney's CEO in 2022, replacing Bob Chapek, he made it a priority to get back to valuing entertainment, rather than what he called "agenda-drive" values. "Our primary mission needs to be to entertain, and then through our entertainment to continue to have a positive impact on the world. I'm very serious about that. It should not be agenda-driven, it should be entertainment-driven," Iger, who initially served as Disney's CEO from 2005-20, said at the company's 2023 annual shareholders meeting. Contributing: Jenna Ryu, USA TODAY
New York Times
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Disney to Diminish Content Warnings Shown Before Classic Films
Disney is preparing to downplay the content warnings on its streaming service that accompany classic movies that include racial stereotypes, altering their language and decreasing their visibility. The content warning that currently autoplays on Disney+ before movies such as 'Dumbo' (1941) and 'Peter Pan' (1953) cautions of 'negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures,' adding, 'These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now.' The new disclaimer will warn that the movie 'may contain stereotypes or negative depictions' and will not appear as introductory text that plays before the beginning of a film, a company spokesman said. Instead, the language will now appear in the details section of certain films, where viewers will have to navigate to find it. (As of Wednesday morning, the original content warning still appeared on Disney+.) Disney is also changing the diversity component of how it rates its executives and makes compensation decisions. Company leaders will now be graded on a 'Talent Strategy' performance factor instead of a 'Diversity & Inclusion' one, Sonia Coleman, Disney's senior executive vice president and chief human resources officer, said on Tuesday in an email seen by The New York Times. The new factor will cover how executives 'incorporate different perspectives,' 'cultivate an environment where all employees can thrive' and 'sustain a robust pipeline.' The changes were earlier reported by Axios. The evolution of Disney's content warnings comes in the wake of other decisions the company has made that signal a shift in strategy on hot-button cultural issues. Pixar, a division of Walt Disney Studios, removed a transgender story line from an upcoming animated series, a decision that became public in December, after the presidential election, though Disney said it was made last summer. Last year, the company also declined to release an episode of a different animated show, Disney Channel's 'Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur,' that depicted a transgender character's interest in sports. In 2022, Disney's chief executive, Robert A. Iger, said publicly that some of the company's products had grown too political and ordered a review of upcoming projects. In December, Disney decided to settle a defamation suit brought by President Trump for $15 million plus legal fees. The accusation concerned an on-air statement made by the ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos that Mr. Trump had been found 'liable for rape' in a New York civil trial, when in fact the president had been found liable for sexual abuse (the judge in the case noted that New York has a narrow legal definition of rape). Disney executives, including Mr. Iger, were motivated to settle primarily by the fear that the company could lose the case. But they were also worried about Mr. Trump's treatment of ABC News should the suit continue and about the company's reputation among the broad cross-section of consumers it wants to reach.
Japan Times
12-02-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Disney softens diversity criteria used to determine manager pay
Disney is removing diversity from the criteria for determining manager compensation, saying leaders will now be assessed, in part, on how well they uphold company values and incorporate different perspectives. Disney is also sunsetting the Reimagine Tomorrow inclusion program, which had drawn controversy. The conservative America First Legal Foundation filed a federal civil rights complaint against the company last year, claiming the program included directions for hiring that amounted to discrimination. The changes were announced in an internal memo from Chief Human Resources Officer Sonia Coleman sent to employees Tuesday. The Burbank, California-based entertainment giant is the latest company to soften its focus on diversity, equity and inclusion amid a growing backlash against such policies by predominantly conservative groups. In recent weeks, companies including McDonald's, and Walmart have rolled back DEI programs, with President Donald Trump's administration increasingly questioning their legality. "What won't change is our commitment to fostering a company culture where everyone belongs and everyone can excel, enabling us to deliver the globally appealing entertainment that drives our business,' Coleman said in the memo. As part of the change, internal employee organizations devoted to particular groups are being renamed Belonging Employee Resource Groups to highlight that they are focused on strengthening the workplace experience rather than the business as a whole. They were previously called Business Employee Resource Group. Axios reported earlier on the changes, adding that they also include different language in the content warnings that run before some films on the Disney+ streaming service. Instead of saying a movie "includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of peoples or cultures,' the new wording says "this program is presented as originally created and may contain stereotypes or negative depictions,' Axios reported.
