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President Donald Trump has spent much of his two-week vacation in Florida golfing. But when he gets back to the White House, there’s a military golf course that he’s never played that he’s eyeing for a major construction project. Long a favored getaway for presidents seeking a few hours solace from the stress of running the free world, the Courses at Andrews inside the secure confines of Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) from the White House are known as the president’s golf course.” Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Joe Biden have spent time there, and Barack Obama played it more frequently than any president, roughly 110 times in eight years. Trump has always preferred the golf courses his family owns spending about one of every four days of his second term at one of them. But he’s now enlisted golf champion Jack Nicklaus as the architect to overhaul the Courses at Andrews. Its amazing that an individual has time to take a couple hours away from the world crises. And theyre people like everybody else, said Michael Thomas, the former general manager of the course, who has golfed with many of the presidents visiting Andrews over the years. Andrews, better known as the home of Air Force One, has two 18-hole courses and a 9-hole one. Its facilities have undergone renovations in the past, including in 2018, when Congress approved funding to replace aging presidential aircraft and to build a new hangar and support facilities. That project was close enough to the courses that they had to be altered then, too. Trump toured the base by helicopter before Thanksgiving with Nicklaus, who has designed top courses the world over. The president called Andrews a great place, thats been destroyed over the years, through lack of maintenance. Other golfers, though, describe Andrews grounds as in good shape, despite some dry patches. Online reviews praise the course’s mature trees, tricky roughs, and ponds and streams that serve as water hazards. The courses are mostly flat, but afford views of the surrounding base. “They all like to drive the cart” The first president to golf at Andrews was Ford in 1974. Thomas began working there a couple years later, and was general manager from 1981 until he retired in 2019. He said the Secret Service over the years used as many as 28 golf carts as well as the president’s usual 30-car motorcade to keep the perimeter secure. Its a Cecil B. DeMille production every time, said Thomas, who had the opportunity to play rounds with four different presidents, and with Biden when he was vice president. He said the commanders in chief generally enjoyed their time out on the course in their own unique ways, but they all like to drive the cart because they never get an opportunity to drive.” Its like getting your drivers license all over again,” Thomas laughed. Trump golfs most weekends, and as of Friday, has spent an estimated 93 days of his second term doing so, according to an Associated Press analysis of his schedules. That tally includes days when Trump was playing courses his family owns in Virginia, around 30 miles (48 kilometers) from the White House, and near his Florida estate Mar-a-Lago, where he’s spending the winter holidays. It also includes 10 days Trump spent staying at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, where his schedule allowed time for rounds of golf. Trump has visited Andrews in the past, but the White House and base have no record of him playing the courses. Another of Trump’s construction projects Andrews military history dates to the Civil War, when Union troops used a church near Camp Springs, Maryland, as sleeping quarters. Its golf course opened in 1960. The White House said the renovation will be the most significant in the history of Andrews. The courses and clubhouse need improvements due to age and wear, it said, and there are discussions about including a multifunctional event center as part of the project. President Trump is a champion-level golfer with an extraordinary eye for detail and design,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in a statement. “His vision to renovate and beautify Joint Base Andrews’ golf courses will bring much-needed improvements that service members and their families will be able to enjoy for generations to come. Plans are in the very early stages, and the cost of and funding for the project haven’t been determined, the White House said. Trump has said only that it will require very little money.” The Andrews improvements join a bevy of Trump construction projects, including demolishing the White Houses East Wing for a sprawling ballroom now expected to cost $400 million, redoing the bathroom attached to the Lincoln bedroom and replacing the Rose Gardens lawn with a Mar-a-Lago-like patio area. Outside the White House, Trump has led building projects at the Kennedy Center and wants to erect a Paris-style arch near the Lincoln Memorial, and has said he wants to rebuild Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia. On Wednesday, meanwhile, the Trump administration ended a lease agreement with a nonprofit for three public golf courses in Washington which could allow the president to further shape golfing in the nation’s capital. The White House, however, said that move isn’t related to the plans for Andrews. Presidential pers of golfing at Andrews When the president is golfing, Andrews officials block off nine holes at a time so no one plays in front of him, allowing for extra security while also ensuring consistent speed-of-play, Thomas said. That’s relatively easily done, given that the courses aren’t open to the public. They’re usually reserved for active or retired members of the military and their families, as well as some Defense Department-linked federal employees. Thomas remembers playing a round with the older President Bush, a World Golf Hall of Fame inductee known for fast play, while first lady Barbara Bush walked with Millie, the first couples English Springer Spaniel. George W. Bush also played fast, Thomas said, and got additional exercise by frequently riding his mountain bike before golfing. When he wasn’t golfing at Andrews, Obama tried to recreate at least part of the experience back home. He had a White House golf simulator installed after then-first lady Michelle Obama asked Thomas how they might acquire a model that the president had seen advertised on the Golf Channel. Thomas gave her a contact at the network. Obama famously cut short a round at Andrews after nine holes in 2011 to hustle back to the White House for what turned out to be a top-secret review of final preparations for a Navy SEAL raid on the compound of Osama bin Laden. But, while Thomas was golfing with presidents, he said he never witnessed play interrupted by an important call or any major emergency that forced them off the course mid-hole. There also were never any rain-outs. If there was rain coming, theyd get the weather forecast before we would, Thomas said. They would cancel quick on that. By Will Weissert, Associated Press
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A new year has brought a new pay rate for more than 8.3 million Americans. The minimum wage is going up in 19 states this week which will see workers in Hawaii earning as much as $2 more an hour. Collectively, these pay increases will boost pay checks by a total of $5 billion, according to the Economic Policy Institute. While the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour hasnt budged in nearly two decades, and still applies in eight states, many states and cities have steadily been increasing their minimum wages to well over double that amount. Seattles minimum wage, at $21.30 per hour, is now nearly triple that federal threshold. As is the case with Seattle, 47 cities and counties around the country have also increased their minimum wages, effective January 1. Heres a look at whats changed. PAY IS GOING UP MOST IN HAWAII Hawaii leads the 19 states with the biggest pay increase for workers this year, as its minimum wage has jumped to $16 per hour, up from $14 previously. And more than 21% of its workforce will benefit from this new legislation, according to the Economic Policy Institute. But not all pay increases are alike. Several states have increased their minimum wages by less than 50 cents an houran amount that adds up to a difference of only several hundred dollars per year in gross earnings. Minnesota workers are only seeing a 28 cent hourly increase, for example. Arizona 2026 minimum wage: $15.15, up 45 cents from $14.70 in 2025 California 2026 minimum wage: $16.90, up 40 cents from $16.50 in 2025 Colorado 2026 minimum wage: $15.16, up 35 cents from $14.81 in 2025 Connecticut 2026 minimum wage: $16.94, up 59 cents from $16.35 in 2025 Hawaii 2026 minimum wage: $16, up $2 from $14 in 2025 Maine 2026 minimum wage: $15.10, up 45 cents from $14.65 in 2025 Michigan 2026 minimum wage: $13.73, up $1.25 from $12.48 in 2025 Minnesota 2026 minimum wage: $11.41, up 28 cents from $11.13 in 2025 Missouri 2026 minimum wage: $15, up $1.25 from $13.75 in 2025 Montana 2026 minimum wage: $10.85, up 30 cents from $10.55 in 2025 Nebraska 2026 minimum wage: $15, up $1.50 from $13.50 in 2025 New Jersey 2026 minimum wage: $15.92, up 43 cents from $15.49 in 2025 New York 2026 minimum wage: $16, up 50 cents from $15.50 in 2025 Ohio 2026 minimum wage: $11, up 30 cents from $10.70 in 2025 Rhode Island 2026 minimum wage: $16, up $1 from $15 in 2025 South Dakota 2026 minimum wage: $11.85, up 35 cents from $11.50 in 2025 Vermont 2026 minimum wage: $14.42, up 41 cents from $14.01 in 2025 Virginia 2026 minimum wage: $12.77, up 36 cents from $12.41 in 2025 Washington 2026 minimum wage: $17.13, up 47 cents from $16.66 in 2025 WASHINGTON CITIES LEAD WITH HIGHEST PAY The $21.30 per hour minimum wage that went into effect in Seattle this week isnt even the highest in Washingtonthe pay in several localities are even higher. In Tukwila and Burlen, two Seattle suburbs, certain employers must pay workers a minimum of $21.65 and $21.63, respectively, in 2026. While some cities, like San Francisco and Los Angeles, updated their minimum wage thresholds at the mid-year mark, most opt for pay changes to coincide with the calendar shange. Some localities explicitly tie their increases to inflation, as measured by the consumer price index that grew at a less-than-3% rate in 2025. Workers in major metropolitan areas can potentially earn several dollars more than the states minimum wage. Employers in the following cities must pay their workers more this week. New York City, Long Island, and Westchester 2026 minimum wage: $17, up $1 from $16 in 2025 San Jose 2026 minimum wage: $18.45, up 50 cents from $18.95 in 2025 Denver 2026 minimum wage: $19.29, up 48 cents from $18.81 in 2025 Minneapolis 2026 minimum wage: $16.37, up 40 cents from $15.97 in 2025
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Even when Americans have health insurance, they can have a hard time affording the drugs theyve been prescribed. About 1 in 5 U.S. adults skip filling a prescription due to its cost at least once a year, according to KFF, a health research organization. And 1 in 3 take steps to cut their prescription drug costs, such as splitting pills when its not medically necessary or switching to an over-the-counter drug instead of the one that their medical provider prescribed. As pharmacy professors who research prescription drug access, we think its important for Americans to know that it is possible to get prescriptions filled more affordably, as long as you know how before you go to the pharmacy. Cost of copays ranges widely When you have health insurance and have to pay for a prescription drug at the pharmacy, youre usually covering the cost of your copay. This is the amount patients or their caregivers are expected to pay after insurance covers the rest of the tab. If you get your health insurance through Medicaid, the government program that covers low-income Americans and people with disabilities, you should not have to pay anything at all to obtain prescription drugs. If there is a copay, it should be low probably less than US$5. And if youre insured through Medicare, the government program that mainly covers people who are 65 and older, or get your coverage through a private health insurance company, its important to understand what to expect when you visit a pharmacy. Most private insurance companies charge US$5 to $50 for prescription drug copays. The copays are tiered based on what the drug costs. Brand-name and specialty medications have higher copays; older generics have lower copays. Some generic drugs and vaccines may even require no copay at all. While a copay is a flat fee, it can change over the course of the year based on whether or not you have met your deductible. The deductible is the amount of money you have to pay out of pocket before your insurance starts covering your prescriptions. Before your deductible is fully paid, you may be responsible for the full cost of your medications. After youve met your deductible for the year, you will only be required to pay the copay. As newer, more expensive drugs enter the market, cost-sharing at the pharmacy has increasingly shifted from a copay to coinsurance. In contrast with a flat copay, coinsurance means your insurance company will cover a certain percentage of the drugs cost, and youll pay the rest. Since the patients share is based on a percentage of the medications price, coinsurance often results in higher out-of-pocket costs than copays do. New help for patients with Medicare coverage Two new government programs could help make prescription drugs more affordable for millions of older Americans. Starting in 2026, people who are insured through Medicare will pay no more than $2,100 out of pocket on prescription drugs over the year. That cap may be much lower than $2,100 due to a quirk in Medicares rules. Prescriptions filled after someone has paid the maximum allowable amount will cost them nothing at all. In addition, the government launched the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan in 2025. This program, which is available to people over 65, helps spread what patients spend out of pocket on prescription drugs throughout the year, making that expense more predictable and easier to budget for. Early data indicates that very few Americans are enrolled in the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. Patients insured through private companies do not have similar opportunities. Consumers should find out if they qualify for state or federal programs on their medications. Coupons and discount cards What if you cant afford a copay for your prescription drug? Before giving up on ever getting it, ask the pharmacist about your options. It may be worth trying to use a free online tool, such as RxAssist, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, or a discount card from GoodRx, which is a publicly traded company. GoodRx cards are free. They help people compare local pharmacy prices and to locate coupons that make prescriptions more affordable. GoodRx works by searching for the lowest available price for the prescription at various pharmacies. Other copay coupons provided by the drug manufacturer may also work similarly by lowering the cost of the medication. On some occasions, the cash price at the pharmacy may actually be cheaper than the copay, and the pharmacist should be able to help you navigate these options. Heres what you should know before giving GoodRx a try: GoodRx collects individual data on patients, raising significant privacy concerns. Some pharmacies do not accept GoodRx. You may have to visit more than one pharmacy to be able to activate its discounts. These cards may make the most sense for uninsured or underinsured patients, but do not always help those whohave insurance because you might not get a better price. Whats more, if you use a discount card, the amount you pay may not count toward your insurance deductible for the year. You should weigh the caveats closely depending on your circumstance. Prescription assistance programs Prescription assistance programs provide another cost-saving tool for Americans. Drugmakers, nonprofits, and government agencies sponsor those programs, which help patients who are uninsured or underinsured even if they are on Medicare fill prescriptions either at a discount or for free. These programs include manufacturer-specific programs as well as charitable pharmacies like Dispensary of Hope, NOVA Scripts Central, and the Patient Advocate Foundation. Qualifying criteria vary for these programs, but typically you must have a low income and be a citizen or a legal U.S. resident. The Patient Access Network Foundation and RxAssist, two nonprofits that help Americans pay their medical bills, also offer helpful tools to identify programs that could work for you. Assistance from these programs could cut your copay or even provide a prescription drug at no cost. Separately, the Trump administration announced in November 2025 that a new White House prescription drug pricing program will soon begin to connect consumers to companies that have agreed to sell certain prescription drugs at a big discount. Many experts dont expect the program, known as TrumpRx, to help people who have health insurance. Instead, it could be most likely to help those with no insurance at all. The new government program is slated to begin to roll out in 2026. Direct-to-consumer models Beyond coupons and assistance programs, a more radical shift is in the works: direct-to-consumer platforms and cash-payment models. In 2025, several manufacturers offered to sell medications directly to patients on websites and patient portals at cash prices. For example, the drug manufacturer Eli Lilly is offering its popular weight-loss medication, Zepbound, on its website. These websites have out-of-pocket costs that can run upward of $300 a month, making them too high for many, if not most, Americans to afford. And insurance companies have so far refused to cover them. To be sure, the systems underlying these programs are still being built. We believe that the Trump administration would need to make a bigger effort to make it easier for millions of Americans to be able to afford filling their prescriptions. Sujith Ramachandran is an associate professor of pharmacy administration at the University of Mississippi. Adam Pate is a clinical professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Mississippi. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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