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Opinion: The “Colorado Option” left me high and dry without health insurance, again

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

A decade ago, the prestigious PolitiFact Lie of the Year went to President Barack Obama’s assurance “If you like your health care plan, you can keep it” under the Affordable Care Act. This year, I was not able to keep the plans I liked, not once but twice. Bright Health, Humana, Oscar Health, and Friday Health Plans recently packed up and left the state, leaving about 218,800 of us scrabbling to obtain another health insurance plan on the state exchange.Two years after the General Assembly passed the Colorado Option, House Bill 1232, we have four fewer health insurance options. Coincidence? Hardly. Lawmakers thought they could defy a basic law of economics and get away with it. Government price fixing causes shortages. We don’t need to bust out a supply and demand curve graph or look at pictures of Soviet bread lines to understand the lesson. When the government demands more for less, we get less.Under the diminishing Options law, health insurers in small group and individual market...

Here’s how Colorado-made products end up on prime time TV shows like “Jack Ryan”

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

In the season four premiere of “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan,” CIA deputy director Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) attends a senate committee hearing to discuss the assassination of a foreign president. The senators ask him to raise his right and pledge to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.On his left hand, Ryan is wearing a large and shiny watch, distinct for showing 24 hours in its face instead of the usual 12.The watch, made by Fort Collins-based Vortic Watch Company, created a buzz among gearheads who scoured the internet in search of details about the accessory. According to R.T. Custer, co-founder and CEO, the company’s website traffic jumped 50% compared to a typical month thanks to the cameo. It got another bump after a placement on “The Price Is Right,” where a Vortic watch was one of the prizes on the wheel.Vortic Watch Company makes 50 of its military edition design each year. One of them landed on the wrist of CIA operative Jack Ryan in season four of “...

The Rocky Mountains’ most beautiful alpine lakes are just a two-hour flight from Denver

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

Alberta’s alpine lakes are superior. It’s controversial, I know, but Colorado can’t be the best at everything. And it’s good to get out of the state sometimes, even if you’re staying within the Rocky Mountains.Don’t get me wrong; I’ve seen and admired many of Colorado’s lakes, but may I propose Banff National Park in Canada for your next alpine lake adventure?The trek to the northern section of the Rockies is just a two-hour flight from Denver to Calgary International Airport, followed by a 90-minute drive into the park.From the first sign, you’ll be blown away by the views. The mountains have rock faces at a scale you just don’t see in Colorado. And every lake is a different hue of vibrant blue or green.Plus, who doesn’t love a hike-in-only teahouse? The area has a few of these historic cafes, which were the inspiration for this trip. There is truly nothing like drinking a piping cup of peach apricot white tea on a drizzly August day overlooking Lake Agnes. Add that to your b...

Small town Lyons offers big payoff for visitors

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

You have to zoom in pretty close on a map of Colorado before Lyons even shows up. The town, with a population that hovers around 2,000 people, isn’t exactly a tourist hot spot or an epicenter of, well, anything. But we know better.We know that Lyons is worthy of a stop on our way to Rocky Mountain National Park, or as a destination on its own. We know that 97% of the 85 businesses are locally owned (the only ones that aren’t are two gas stations), making it one of the most unique towns in which to browse, eat and drink. We know that its setting at the edge of the Rockies, with its mix of forests, valleys and sandstone cliffs, is absolutely stunning. And we know that come summertime the music is roaring, with major festivals drawing bluegrass-loving crowds.Here are five reasons to spend time in Lyons this summer:The food is some of the best in the stateIt may seem strange that one of the most delicious fine dining restaurants in Colorado resides in such a small town, but hey, we don’...

The moon will appear bigger Wednesday than any other day of the year

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

Shortly before 8 p.m. on Wednesday would be a great time to check out the moonrise, weather permitting. That’s because it will be a super moon, and a blue moon, too.Blue moons are simply quirks of the calendar that occur every two to three years when there is a second full moon in a calendar month, and our most recent full moon occurred on Aug. 1. The next time a blue moon will be a super moon will occur in January of 2037, according to a NASA informational site. Another will occur just two months later.Related ArticlesOutdoors | First solar eclipse in six years tops list of the best celestial events you can see in Colorado in 2023 Outdoors | If you want the best view of October’s solar eclipse at Mesa Verde, better start making plans now Wednesday’s super moon should be worth a look, however, because it will appear larger and brighter than at any other time this year. That’s because the moon will be at its perigee in relation ...

Encino residence targeted in home-invasion robbery; 3 suspects sought

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

Police are searching for three home-invasion robbers who targeted a residence in Encino Monday night.The incident was reported shortly after 9:40 p.m. in the 4900 block of Aqueduct Avenue near Haskell Avenue.Police investigate a home-invasion robbery in Encino on Aug. 28, 2023. (RMG News)Investigators believe the three intruders entered the home and fled with an unknown amount of jewelry. Video showed Los Angeles Police Department officers gathering evidence at the scene.It was unclear if the residents were inside the home at the time. Transient accused of sneaking into Riverside home, touching 12-year-old girl The suspects were described as three men wearing all black. They were believed to be armed. Police said no arrests have been made.There were no reports of injury resulting from the incident.

Explore 5 beautiful new Signature Homes communities now selling throughout Northern California

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

Locally owned homebuilder Signature Homes invites you to create your own Signature moments living in one of its five new communities throughout Northern California. Discover charming one- and two-story single-family homes at Lumina at Reynolds Ranch in Lodi, Cardiff at River Islands in Lathrop, Catalina and Coronado at Delta Shores in Sacramento, and Acacia in Oakley.For 40 years, Signature Homes has provided homes of enduring appeal that offer sustainable designs in desirable locations. Built with superior quality and uncompromising value, every Signature home holds plenty of space for all and leaves room to grow. Signature Homes delivers award-winning communities with homes priced from the low $600,000s.Signature Homes recently celebrated the model grand opening of the Catalina and Coronado communities at Delta Shores in Sacramento, and is the first builder to break ground at Delta Shores. Catalina offers four home designs of three to five bedrooms, a loft (per plan) and up to app...

Here are the 10 Part D drugs that Medicare is targeting for price negotiations to cut costs

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

A blood thinner, diabetes treatments and drugs used to treat autoimmune disease and heart failure are on the list of 10 drugs that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has targeted for price negotiations to cut Medicare costs.In a statement, the government said the list of 10 drugs represented more than $50 billion, or about 20%, of Part D gross covered prescription drug costs between June 1, 2022 and May 31, 2023. That’s the period used to decide which drugs were eligible for negotiation.The next step is for the government to negotiate prices for the 10 drugs with their manufacturers, in an effort to reduce prices for patients. The program already faces lawsuits from drugmakers and criticism from Republican lawmakers. It’s also a centerpiece of Demcrat Joe Biden’s reelection pitch as he seeks a second term in office by touting his work to lower costs for Americans at a time when the country has struggled with inflation.The selected drugs for the first round ...

3-month-old infant and two San Jose teenagers dead from fentanyl poisoning in one month

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

In less than 30 days, two teenage girls and a three-month old infant were declared dead from acute fentanyl poisoning in San Jose this spring, among the youngest deaths attributed to the powerful opioid in Santa Clara County as officials in several Bay Area counties deal with alarming death counts.The first to pass away was a 15-year-old girl who overdosed on fentanyl in the breezeway of her sprawling apartment complex in East San Jose on April 16.Then almost a month later, a 3-month old baby girl and a 16-year-old local cheerleader were both pronounced dead — just seven hours apart at the same San Jose hospital. The baby died from combined fentanyl and methamphetamine poisoning.“It’s outrageous and inexcusable,” said Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez, who formed a fentanyl working group back in 2022 to try and marshal resources to combat the fentanyl crisis locally. “I’m even having a hard time understanding how a three-month old would ingest it (fentanyl...

Kyle Harrison’s SF Giants home debut is a Bay Area reunion and celebration

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — Kyle Harrison’s family munched on a spread of snacks in the few minutes before the rookie’s home debut. Just minutes away from the rookie’s home debut, it was one way to distract from the nerves.But what calmed the butterflies among those gathered in the Harrison Family suite atop Oracle Park was knowing Kyle, the man of the night, was most likely the calmest guy in the ballpark for his home debut on Monday night.“I think Kyle’s relaxed, now that he’s home,” his dad, Chris Harrison, said. “This is home home.”On some level, those closest to Harrison knew what was coming: He cruised through five consecutive strikeouts to start the game and finished with 11 strikeouts to complete a scoreless outing over 6 1/3 innings and a win that stunned a Giants crowd thirsting for someone to get excited over.He’s the Giants’ best pitching prospect since Madison Bumgarner and, fittingly, put up young Bumgarner nu...