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☆ University of Texas System announces free tuition for students whose families earn $100K or less
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-22 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Marlene Lenthang Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The University of Texas System announced Wednesday it will expand its free tuition program for lower-income families to include all families making $100,000 or less a year. The free tuition for undergraduate students will begin in the fall of 2025 and will cover tuition and fees. “The combination of these actions today will ensure that average student debt at UT academic institutions continues to decline. UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken said in a statement: “Across UT institutions, enrollment is growing, and student debt is declining, indicating success in both access and affordability. Further, families with an income below $100,000 will have tuition as well as housing, dining fees and allowances for books and personal expenses covered.

Persons: James B, Milliken, ”, Sally Kornbluth, Don’t Organizations: University of Texas System, Regents, UT, UT Austin, Texas, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT Locations: U.S

☆ Eva Longoria and Admiral Bill McRaven to receive $100 million Bezos Award
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Jake Tapper | Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

In 2021, the inaugural recipients of the prize were Van Jones, a lawyer and CNN commentator, and chef José Andrés, each of whom received $100 million. They also serve as national spokespeople for the Brain Health Project, which focuses on brain health and brain performance with a concentration on veterans. Longoria, who starred in the television series “Desperate Housewives,” has focused on education and entrepreneurship in Latino communities. The Eva Longoria Foundation aims to connect Latinos and Latinas in lower-income areas with peer mentors, and Longoria has a start-up fund for Latino-owned small businesses. Bezos and Sánchez pledged $100 million to recovery efforts in Maui after the devastating wildfires in 2023, though the donation has come under scrutiny.

Persons: Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sánchez, Bill McRaven, Eva Longoria, Bernard Arnault, Van Jones, José Andrés, Dolly Parton, McRaven, “, Lauren, Jeff, ” McRaven, Longoria, ”, ” Longoria, Bezos, Warren Buffett, Melinda French Gates, Bill Gates, MacKenzie Scott, Sánchez Organizations: New, New York CNN, Amazon, University of Texas, Bloomberg, CNN, Warrior Foundation, Brain Health, “, Fund Locations: New York, Bezos, Maui

Texas announced the contract extension through the 2030 season last month but had not released financial details. The extension includes $100,000 annual raises that will push Sarkisian's guaranteed salary to $10.9 million by the final year. According to the regents' agenda, the raises are a 78% overall increase in Sarkisian's guaranteed compensation. The Longhorns won the Big 12 in their final season in the league. Texas also is extending the contracts of tight ends coach Jeff Banks, offensive coordinator Kyle Flood and defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski.

Persons: Steve Sarkisian's, Sark, Kevin Eltife, “ We’re, ” Sarkisian, “ We’ve, Jeff Banks, Kyle Flood, Pete Kwiatkowski Organizations: —, Longhorns, Big, College Football, Texas, University of Texas, Regents, ”, Washington, Southeastern Conference, AP Locations: AUSTIN, Texas, — Texas

☆ 2 major employers said they stopped paying for weight-loss drugs like Wegovy after the drugmaker threatened to penalize them
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementThere's a little-known reason more companies aren't paying for their workers' weight-loss shots. But even at a reduced price, weight-loss drugs are budget-busting, so employers have tried to make them tougher to get. Or it could require patients to try a cheaper weight-loss drug before resorting to more expensive options. The University of Texas System, facing a bill of more than $5 million a month for its workers’ weight-loss drugs, explored saving some money by paying only for people already on the drugs. UT System ended all coverage for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs in September 2023.

Persons: —, Sam Watts, Chris Brown, ”, “, Brown, pocketing, they’ve, ” Brown Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Service, Health, CVS, University of Texas, UT, Business, Novo Nordisk doesn’t, “ Locations: Texas, North Carolina, Carolina, North

☆ Your tax dollars are getting spent on weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, and the total is adding up
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementConnecticut was quick to experience the impact of weight loss drugs on its economy last year. Politico reported in November that the state's employee health plan was set to spend $30 million on drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Comptroller Sean Scanlon told BI that that was up from $8 million in 2020. Connecticut began testing out a method to offer those seeking weight loss drugs access to a program with online tools for weight management. In North Carolina, the State Health Plan has put a moratorium on new users of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss.

Persons: Sean Scanlon, Scanlon, it's, Dale Folwell, Folwell, Shelby Livingston, Eli Lilly, that'll, Nik Modi Organizations: Service, Business, Bloomberg, Medicaid, Politico, BI, State, North, State Health, Novo Nordisk, Wall Street, University of Texas System, UT, RBC Capital Markets Locations: Connecticut, Wegovy, . Connecticut, North Carolina, Novo, Netherlands, United States

☆ Getting hot new weight-loss drugs like Wegovy will still be a struggle in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-04 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

AdvertisementIf you were hoping that powerhouse weight-loss drugs like Wegovy would be easier to get in 2024, you may be disappointed. Don't expect Medicare coverage any time soonMedicare could play a major role in expanding coverage of weight-loss drugs . Americans' hunger for weight-loss drugs, and the shockwaves it's likely to send through the culture and economy, are only just beginning. He oversees the state employee health plan, which saw costs skyrocket as thousands of workers suddenly started taking weight-loss drugs. People who are already getting weight-loss drugs will be able to keep taking them.

Persons: —, Renee Rayburg, Mercer, Eli Lilly's, Jose Luis Pelaez, there's, Wegovy, Bill Coyle, ZS, Eli Lilly, David Risinger, Lilly, Risinger, Morgan Stanley, Mounjaro, They're, That's, Patrik Jonsson, Lilly USA, Coyle, Dale Folwell, Folwell Organizations: Service, Pharmaceutical, Group, Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, Mayo Clinic, University of Texas, Hennepin Healthcare, Medicare, Capital Alpha Partners, Vanderbilt University, Nordisk's Wegovy, Novo Nordisk, pharma, Nordisk's, FDA, Pharma, UBS BioPharma Conference, Walmart, Jefferies, Nordisk Locations: Mounjaro, Government, Minnesota, Minneapolis, Hennepin, ZS, U.S, Carolina, North Carolina

☆ The bad math behind Harvard's refusal to do away with legacy admissions
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

By clinging to legacy admissions, colleges are not only undermining claims of advancing equality but may be shooting themselves in the financial foot. 'A weak and sad excuse'The legacy preference has always been a dance of public intentions and private subtext. While the rationales for preserving legacy admissions have evolved, the propensity to obfuscate them hasn't. Harvard's massive $50 billion endowment makes it pretty clear: the school doesn't need to keep legacy admissions anymore. When Wesleyan announced it was dropping legacy admissions Roth was adamant that it was the right move.

Persons: James Murphy, —, Richard Kahlenberg, Christopher Eisgruber, Ethan Poskanzer, Radcliffe, gosh, James Hankins, Murphy, Brooks Kraft, Amherst, Biddy Martin, Gabrielle Starr, Michael Roth, Wesleyan alums, Brown, MIT's Emilio Castilla, Kahlenberg, Harvard, Roth Organizations: US Supreme, Harvard, Department of Education, Georgetown University, Princeton University's, Washington Post, University of Colorado, Wall, Princeton, Getty, MIT, University of Texas, The Century Foundation, Pomona College, CNN, Research, Council, Advancement, Wesleyan College, Wesleyan, Ivy League, Stanford, Duke, University of Chicago, Poskanzer, University of North, Carnegie Mellon, Occidental College Locations: Boulder, University of North Carolina, America

☆ Insurers face long road, high cost to cover obesity drugs after promising Wegovy heart health data
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

There is likely a long way to go before the U.S. sees increased insurance coverage for obesity drugs. While the trial results demonstrate that obesity drugs may have significant health benefits beyond shedding unwanted pounds, organizations representing U.S. insurers emphasized that the data is still preliminary. "Health insurance providers will continue to analyze new evidence as it becomes available," he added. Ceci Connolly, CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans, acknowledged the promise of the data but said "outrageous prices should give everyone pause." The organization represents regional, community-based health plans that cover more than 18 million Americans across the U.S.

Persons: Jim Vondruska, Wegovy, Eli Lilly, David Allen, Ceci Connolly, Jared Holz, It's, Debra Tyler's, Joe Buglewicz, Eduardo Grunvald, George Frey, UCSD's Gunvald, Eli, Ethan Lazarus, Lazarus Organizations: Reuters Novo Nordisk, Novo Nordisk, America's Health, Alliance of Community Health, U.S, Drugs, Pfizer, Medicare, CVS, Aetna, CNBC, Washington Post, Getty, UCSD Health's Center, International Foundation of Employee, University of Texas System, UTS, Novo, Reuters, Obesity Medicine Association, New England, of Medicine Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S, Mizuho, Killingworth, Conn, Texas

☆ 2 huge employers just said they're dumping Wegovy from their health plans. It's a sign of a crackdown on popular weight-loss drugs.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Ascension and the University of Texas System are set to stop paying for workers' weight-loss drugs. Jenny started taking the popular weight-loss injection Wegovy in February and saw results almost immediately. picture alliance/Getty ImagesThe crackdown on insurance coverage for weight-loss drugs may be just beginning. Renee Rayburg, a consultant at Pharmaceutical Strategies Group who helps companies manage their spending on prescription drugs, said she hadn't seen many employers retreat completely from covering weight-loss drugs, as Ascension is doing. Any weight-loss drugs that hit the market in the future would also be excluded.

Persons: Jenny, Wegovy, Ascension, Renee Rayburg, hadn't, Saxenda, Angela Fitch, Fitch, Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, Getty, Marianne Ayala, Tracy Spencer, Spencer, Drugmakers, haven't, she's, that's Organizations: University of Texas, Companies, Pharmaceutical, Group, PSG, Wegovy, UT, Obesity Medicine Association . Obesity Medicine, Obesity Medicine Association, Food, Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, Novo Nordisk

☆ Florida bill would ban gender studies majors, diversity programs at universities
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Sharon Bernstein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Feb 24 (Reuters) - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis would gain more influence in the state's public university system, and majors involving gender studies or critical race theory would be eliminated if a bill filed this week wins support from the Republican-controlled legislature. The wide-reaching legislation represents a new front in the Republican war against the "woke" agenda many conservatives believe liberals are trying to push on public education across the country. Earlier this month, Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott told state agencies and public universities that such practices violated labor laws. The Florida bill would also prohibit spending on programs or campus activities that promote DEI and what it calls "Critical Race Theory rhetoric." Critical race theory is an academic concept that asserts that racism is woven into the U.S. legal system and ingrained in its primary institutions.

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