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Portuguese Pop

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On Monday, August 26, Nathan Duvall, DJ of AFM’s show Lucid Pilot, interviewed the talented Raquel Valente, leader of the band 701. Nathan introduced the musician as “an accomplished bandleader, composer, producer, singer and lyricist from Lisbon, Portugal, who plays a unique, futuristic psych-pop.”

Raquel called in from Lisbon, where she lives and creates her music by the coast. She explained that the ocean is an inspiration for much of her music. Raquel talked about her process for creating music: she always begins with the lyrics, often starting on her phone and finishing on her laptop. When asked what instruments she primarily plays, Raquel said she did dabble for a bit with the keyboard, but bass and her voice are the two instruments she loves.

Raquel and Nathan talked a lot about the algorithm of services like Spotify and Tidal and how these apps help them discover music from around the world and across the ages. Raquel noted that Portuguese radio is often focused so much on foreign music that it’s hard for Portuguese artists to break through, so listeners often discover her through the algorithm. She said of being a musician in Portugal: “You just do it ’cause you love doing it and you can’t live without doing it.”

701’s new album is titled Se eu n​ã​o me divertir, quem é que me diverte?, or If I Don’t Have Fun, Who Will? You can find everywhere her music streams here, and you can listen to her full interview in Lucid Pilot’s archive.


More Posts for Show: Lucid Pilot

Results of drug cost negotiations announced between Medicare and Big Pharma

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WASHINGTON, DC – August 15, 2024 – On August 15th, the Biden administration announced the results of negotiations between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) and pharmaceutical companies over the price of ten expensive and commonly prescribed medicines. The discounts range from about 40 to 80% of last year’s cost. The bargaining process took almost 1 year to complete. The new prices will begin on January 1, 2026.

Drug cost negotiation is one of the provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) that will make health care more affordable for seniors. The government sought to obtain the lowest maximum fair price while allowing the drug companies to make a profit. The Inflation Reduction Act allows 30 more medicines to be selected over the next 2 years for price negotiation.

Drugs were selected from 2 categories. Each has either been on the market for at least 7 years without a competing generic version or is a physician-administered “biologic” drug that has been on the market for at least 11 years. The drugs are: Eliquis & Xarelto (blood thinners), Jardiance, Januvia and Novolog (for diabetes treatment), Farxiga (for the treatment of diabetes and heart failure), Entresto (for heart failure), Enbrel (for the treatment of autoimmune disease), Imbruvica (for the treatment of blood cancer) and Stelara (for psoriasis and other inflammatory disorders).

CMS estimates that people enrolled in Medicare prescription drug coverage can save $1.5 billion, taxpayers can save $6 billion, and drug coverage premiums will decrease.

The cost for these 10 drugs was about 20% of the total spending for Medicare enrollees over the past year, over $50 billion for the year between June 1, 2022, through May 31, 2023, not including rebates and discounts. Medicare covered most of the cost; however, almost 9 million Medicare beneficiaries had to spend almost $3.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs.

According to research from the Commonwealth Fund, almost 1 out of 10 Medicare enrollees ages 65 and older did not fill their prescription or skipped taking a drug dose due to cost in 2021. In a statement last year by President Biden, “Millions of Americans are forced to choose between paying for medicines they need to live or paying for food, rent, and other basic necessities. Those days are ending.”

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]


More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

Every hospital in North Carolina will forgive medical debt

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RALEIGH, NC – August 7, 2024 – Each of the state’s 99 hospitals have signed up for a new state program to reduce medical debt. On July 1st, Governor Cooper announced an initiative to increase federal payments to participating hospitals who agree to forgive medical debt for low- and middle-income patients. The sign-up deadline was August 9th. The medical debt program is believed to be the first one of its kind in the United States. Uncollectible medical debt dating back to 2014 will be forgiven.

The medical initiative includes some related benefits. It offers discounts to low-income patients who did not qualify for Medicaid. Caps interest rates on hospital medical debt. Hospitals agree not report medical debt to credit agencies.

There is a medical debt crisis in North Carolina. According to 2022 credit bureau data analyzed by the Urban Institute, a nonprofit organization that shapes policy through economic and social policy research, 20% of North Carolina’s residents has medical debt in collections, the fourth highest state in the country. Black and Hispanic persons and people living in rural areas are disproportionately affected by having medical debt.

The medical debt program will be funded by federal money coming from the Healthcare Access and Stabilization Program, or HASP, because the state Medicaid program shifted to managed care. It is estimated that 2 million low- and middle-income North Carolinians will have $4 billion of medical debt forgiven.

Cooper said in a news release, “Large medical bills from sickness or injury can cripple the finances of North Carolinians, particularly those who are already struggling. Freeing people from medical debt can be life-changing for families, as well as boost the overall economic health of North Carolina.”

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]


More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

The weekly COVID-19 update: The August surge is here. Can wastewater predict the future?

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ASHEVILLE, NC – August 21, 2024 – The winter surge of respiratory infections, like COVID-19, has passed. However, over the past 3 years, COVID-19 infections have also surged in August.

The CDC’s COVID Dashboard for the week ending on August 10th shows:  

  • Less than 2% of the deaths in North Carolina were due to COVID, the 2nd lowest level of 6 groups and increased since last week.
  • Emergency department visits for COVID-19 are moderate in North Carolina, between 3.0-4.0% of all visits and increased since last week.

Wastewater monitoring can be used to provide early warning for COVID outbreaks. The Buncombe & Henderson counties wastewater data on the North Carolina COVID Dashboard for the week ending on August 7th shows:

  • The number of viral gene copies in each water sample is between 80-100%, the highest level of 5 groups.
  • The 15-day rate of change of the number of viral gene copies in each water sample has increased from the previous week to 100% or greater, the highest level of 3 groups with a positive rate of change.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]


More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

A Personal Experience With Neurodiversity

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Written By Kyle C.

Simona Rock visited the studio on Tuesday during Open Air’s “Life On Purpose” to share her experience with neurodiversity: its impact on her and the resources that have helped her understand the world. Simona is a holistic nurse focused on cardiac rehab and lifestyle medicine. In her work as a nurse – in addition to her role as educator, performer, and energy worker – Simona teaches mindfulness to help process this world around us. It was through this practice of mindfulness and meditation that she began thinking about the ways in her life she has always felt different.

Simona shared that her diagnosis of being on the Autism spectrum was a slow process that only resulted in a diagnosis about a year ago. She didn’t even consider her status on the spectrum until she began looking back on her childhood through the eyes of her nephews and TV personalities. She recalled her teachers showing concern for what she perceived as just being “quiet.” She remembered instances of feeling overwhelmed by the stimuli of her senses. Simona shared that her life story was one of discovery including through spirituality from Christianity to meditation always in an attempt to find identity. As she explored what in life can offer her comfort, Simona said that connection to the world was like “unlocking the puzzle of me.”

To hear Simona’s full interview and learn how to be an ally of the neurodivergent community or hear resources including Autism coaching click here.


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Medicaid expansion enrollment in North Carolina: July update

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RALEIGH, NC – August 5, 2024 – The latest update of the NC Medicaid Expansion Enrollment Dashboard was on August 5th. July enrollment in NC increased by more than 20 thousand to more than 520 thousand people. Buncombe County’s July enrollment increased by more than 350 people to more than 12.5 thousand. It was estimated that 600 thousand North Carolinians are eligible for ME, with almost 17 thousand from Buncombe County. In 8 months of accepting applications, the state is more than 85% of the way to enrolling all eligible persons and Buncombe County is almost 75% of the way there.

On December 1st, North Carolina officially became the 40th state to expand Medicaid, the federal program for health insurance for low-resource individuals. ME increases health care access to eligible North Carolinians ages 19-64 and their families with earnings to 138 percent of the federal poverty level based on their household size, up from 100 percent.

There are many ways to apply for NC Medicaid for eligible persons. Those who have not yet applied should visit Medicaid.nc.gov to see if they qualify. Buncombe County residents can apply for Medicaid online and at any time at ePASS.NC.gov. Applications can be done in-person at the HHS Building on 40 Coxe Avenue, by calling 828-250-5500, or by mail.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]


More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour