Imagine your doctor diagnoses you with Alzheimer’s disease, evaluates your needs and risks, and recommends a tailored treatment plan to extend your healthy years. Who should have the final say over whether you pursue that care: you, your family, and your doctor — or an insurance company that has never met you?

For most Americans, the answer is obvious. Doctors and patients should make care decisions.

If policymakers want fewer insurance denials, they should stop creating incentives for them.

Yet in many cases, insurers end up with the final say.

New polling from Market Institute and President Trump’s pollster Fabrizio Ward found that 89% of registered voters believe doctors often choose not to prescribe Alzheimer’s tests or treatments because they know insurers are unlikely to cover them and patients cannot afford to pay out of pocket.

Voters are recognizing a real trend. Alzheimer’s patients have made headlines for benefiting from new treatments, only to receive abrupt coverage denials from their insurance companies.

Treatment allowed one patient, Lori Baetz, to return to her daily routine. When coverage was pulled back, she deteriorated, even getting lost in her own neighborhood. Lori’s neurologist, Dr. Cara Leahy, wrote that her patients are repeatedly denied coverage. Similar denials are happening across the country, including in New Jersey and North Carolina, and across insurers.

Thousands of Americans find these delays and denials unjust. In fact, a shocking 41% of young Americans said the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was “acceptable.” One voter from a Market Institute focus group said of insurance companies, “They just want to wear you down … so you just give up.”

Americans’ frustration is understandable. But insurance companies are often following rules set by the federal government.

The real culprits are the behind-the-scenes government policies that encourage insurers to delay and deny coverage.

The clearest example is a Biden-era Medicare policy known as Coverage with Evidence Development.

After the Food and Drug Administration approved a new generation of Alzheimer’s therapies, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services took the unprecedented step of limiting Medicare coverage unless patients participated in government-approved studies and met additional requirements.

RELATED: Trump DOJ charges 455 people allegedly tied to $6.5B in health care fraud

Feodora Chiosea/iStock/Getty Images

That created a second layer of red tape after the FDA had already deemed the therapies safe and effective.

The decision sent a powerful signal throughout the health care system. When Medicare, the nation’s largest health care payer, treats FDA approval as insufficient, private insurers follow.

When Lori’s coverage was denied despite her positive response to treatment, the company described the therapy as “investigational/experimental,” even though the FDA had approved it. The company was following Medicare’s lead. When Medicare treats approved therapies as experimental by requiring additional paperwork and registration, insurers can cite the government’s own policy when denying coverage.

That bad policy worsens the financial and human cost of Alzheimer’s disease.

The lifetime cost of caring for a person with Alzheimer’s exceeds $400,000, with families shouldering roughly 70% of that burden through unpaid caregiving and out-of-pocket expenses.

Meanwhile, Medicare spends roughly $174 billion annually on Alzheimer’s patients, while Medicaid spends another $72 billion, much of it on long-term care. As Alzheimer’s cases double over the next few decades, those costs will continue to climb.

The good news is that treatment could help curb those mounting costs by keeping Americans independent and in the workforce longer.

According to USC Schaeffer research, providing treatment before symptoms fully emerge could add a full year of life, reduce nursing home stays by nearly two years, and lower medical spending by roughly $48,000 per patient. That means more Americans remaining independent, fewer families crushed by caregiving burdens, and more workers preserving their economic productivity.

Every patient who remains independent, stays out of a nursing home, or delays the need for full-time care represents both a human victory and an economic one.

If policymakers want fewer insurance denials, they should stop creating incentives for them.

The FDA is charged with determining whether a therapy is safe and effective. Once it does, CMS should not erect a second regulatory barrier that encourages insurers to do the same.

Until that changes, Americans will continue blaming insurance companies for behavior government policy encourages.

​Opinion & analysis, Medicare, Alzheimer’s disease, Insurance, Health care, Brian thompson, Regulations, Joe biden 

Markell Hitchings — a 21-year-old cook for a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Florissant, Missouri — had an unsettling notion going through his mind when the restaurant was just getting underway for business Monday morning.

Hitchings told KSDK-TV his concerns were sparked after he noticed a male dressed in black.

‘I was never afraid at all.’

“I thought he was a regular customer just going to the bathroom and leaving,” Hitchings explained to the station.

But he recalled something else to KSDK: “I had it back in my mind that he was going to try to do something.”

Turns out Hitchings’ unsettling concerns were spot on.

“He came back there behind our counter, and it all started from there. At the time, he was asking my manager for money. She dropped to the floor. I told her to give him the money because I didn’t want her to get hurt,” Hitchings recalled to KSDK.

Employees told the station that after the robber got the cash, he ran out the front door and around to the back of the business.

Except Hitchings also was out back, KSDK said.

“He asked me for my cell phone, and I didn’t give him my phone — and we got to tussling around in back by the drive-thru,” Hitchings recalled to the station.

Hitchings told KSDK that he and the robber fought for several minutes as the suspect’s gun flew out of his hand.

“I was screaming for help because I was losing adrenaline,” Hitchings noted to the station.

Nevertheless, the courageous cook still had plenty of strength left.

“Once I had him in a chokehold, I’m on his back,” Hitchings recalled to KSDK. “He grabbed rocks and tried to smash them over my head, but it didn’t work.”

RELATED: Blaze News original: 10 times retail workers ended violent threats with absolute finality

Soon employees at a neighboring business called 911, the station said, adding that Hitchings held down the suspect — Tamon Sleet — until police arrived and arrested him.

Police added that officers recovered a stolen firearm that was used during the robbery, as well as currency taken from the business.

Police told KSDK that Sleet tried to strangle a ride-share driver in north St. Louis County several days before the KFC robbery — and Hitchings added to the station he’s grateful that he, his manager, and the ride-share driver all survived.

“It all just happened so fast. I know it was dangerous. I wouldn’t advise anyone to do that. I was never afraid at all. Honestly, I thank God that it all played out the way it did,” Hitchings noted to KSDK.

The station said Sleet faces multiple charges in both cases, including assault, armed criminal action, and vehicle hijacking.

KSDK said he remained jailed Thursday night on a $250,000 cash-only bond.

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​Crime thwarted, Missouri, Kentucky fried chicken, Kfc, Armed robber, Employee fights crook, Arrest, Florissant, Crime 

Despite banning metaphysical services (like spell-casting, hexes, clairvoyant readings, prayers or rituals promising outcomes, etc.) in 2015, Etsy has largely looked the other way as “Etsy witches” built lucrative businesses around custom spell work.

In September 2025, a Jezebel article satirically detailing how its writers hired Etsy witches to curse conservative activist Charlie Kirk drew intense backlash after he was assassinated just two days later.

However, now the online marketplace for handmade, vintage, and unique goods has suddenly started strictly enforcing the policy, leading to shop removals and listing takedowns.

BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey was encouraged by the news because witchcraft is a very real danger, she says.

“Christians know that demonic activity is real and that witchcraft is real because Satan is real, and he works through these means that might just seem silly and superstitious but actually are vectors and vessels of his workings and of his power,” Allie explains.

The good news, she says, is “witchcraft doesn’t have any dominion over the Christian” because Christians are “indwelt by the Holy Spirit.”

“However, because of its evil and because of the effect that it has on culture, the effect that it has on societies, we really have to care,” she argues. “When it’s becoming popularized, when it’s becoming normalized, when it’s becoming commercialized, when billions and billions of dollars are being made by people casting spells on others through a seemingly innocuous site like Etsy, we’ve got a problem.”

Part of the problem is the inevitable fraud that results from selling intangible goods.

“When you’re selling intangible things and you’re kind of commercializing these spiritual, abstract practices, it’s obviously rife with the potential for fraud and all different kinds of things and can also be very damaging if people don’t feel like they got their money’s worth,” says Allie.

But the even bigger issue is the darkness millions of people are being lured into.

Allie lists some of the spells that have been sold on Etsy, including wealth-enhancing spells, love spells promising to make an “avoidant” crush become “obsessed” with the spell buyer, and hexes that supposedly cast curses on one’s enemies.

“It actually is very sad when you think about the desperation that someone has to have and just the longing, the unrequited love that someone has to feel, the purposelessness, the lostness that someone is embroiled in to believe this kind of advertisement and then to pay money for it,” she sighs.

On top of that, these spells — regardless of whether they’re real witchcraft or just scams — lead people away from the truth.

Allie calls the lost souls looking to witchcraft to solve their problems “just another manifestation of exchanging the God of Scripture for the God of self.”

While many of the Etsy spells are undoubtedly hoaxes, Allie believes that some are probably legitimate.

“I actually don’t put it past Satan to use this means to get people to have faith in things like witchcraft, even if it gives you something that you want temporarily, as long as he can win the long-term war for your soul,” she warns.

Sadly, the evil of witchcraft is almost certainly not what motivated Etsy to suddenly start enforcing the company’s decade-old policy.

“I don’t think that the people at Etsy, who are very anti-pro-life and who are very pro-trans and pro-abortion, I don’t think they have moral qualms with witchcraft,” says Allie.

“I think they don’t want to be on the hook for the potential of fraud. They don’t want to deal with the customer service issues of people not getting the outcome that they want. They don’t want to deal with another negative PR campaign [like the Charlie Kirk scandal] … so they’re like, ‘It’s just not worth it.”’

To hear more, watch the episode above.

Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?

To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Relatable, Allie beth stuckey, Etsy, Witchcraft 

I ran into a guy during senior softball last night. I was running to third base, and I came in a little too fast. He was reaching to catch the ball, and I knocked into him.

Nothing happened. Nobody was hurt. But I felt bad about it. I apologized. It was poor etiquette.

The next thing I knew, the whole world did a wild 360-degree spin, and I found myself sans glasses, on my backside in the grass.

That’s the thing about senior softball. The players are seniors. You’re a senior. Everyone is a little bit … vulnerable. You’re not supposed to knock into people.

One of the things senior softball players try hardest to do IS NOT GET HURT.

So running into someone. That’s not cool.

A winter’s tale

Last winter, during a practice game, I was involved in another minor collision. I may or may not have caused that one too.

I was playing first base. A guy on the other team hit a grounder. Our third baseman scooped it up and threw it to me. But the throw was a little to my left, and in my attempt to catch it, I leaned into the base path and the batter ran into me.

I ended up on the ground. I don’t remember what happened to the other guy. Maybe he fell too. Neither of us was hurt.

Still, in senior softball, if anyone ends up on the ground, people become concerned. The game stops. Players in the dugout stop discussing their holiday plans and look up. Players on the field come over to check on the downed player(s).

Even after it is confirmed that no one is injured, people will linger and discuss what happened. What caused the collision? What were the relevant vectors and angles? Who was going where? And how fast? Was anyone at fault?

A verdict is reached

Of course, senior softball players are quick to give each other the benefit of the doubt. Unless there is grievous evidence to the contrary, it is usually assumed that no one is at fault. It’s a dynamic game. Stuff happens.

Still, there was some debate in this case. Finally, an elder of the group, a grizzled veteran of the senior softball circuit, declared authoritatively: “It was an errant throw.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. I nodded too. It was indeed an “errant throw.”

But was I wrong to try to catch an errant throw? And end up in the base path colliding with the batter? I don’t know. But I resolved to be more careful next time.

The worst collision

The worst collision I have been involved in happened in my first game, during the first season that I played senior softball.

This was in a “rec” league, which is the entry level of senior softball. These are often the oldest men. The most stationary. The most in need of not being run into.

I was new to senior softball. I hadn’t played any form of organized baseball/softball since I was in fourth grade.

For that first game, I was sent to right field since I was an unknown quantity. Could I catch? Could I throw? Nobody knew. I didn’t even know.

RELATED: The secret to senior softball? It’s all about the magic bat

Irfan Khan/Getty Images

The moment of truth

I stood in right field. Several innings went by. And then someone hit a high fly ball in my direction. It was going to land a fair distance in front of me, but if I ran, I thought I could catch it.

I really wanted to catch it. I wanted to prove myself to my new team. I also wanted to find out if I was any good at softball. I really had no idea.

But I believed I could catch that ball. So I ran forward while keeping my eyes glued to that big yellow softball in the sky.

And then BLAM. The next thing I knew, the whole world did a wild 360-degree spin, and I found myself sans glasses, on my backside in the grass.

Don’t run into the seniors!

I had run into the second baseman. And I had done so at FULL SPEED. I was running AS FAST AS I COULD. And I ran right into one of my teammates.

Thank God he was 6′ and 200 pounds and I am 5’8” and 160 pounds.

I sat up and checked myself. Was I hurt? I didn’t seem to be. I looked around in the grass for my glasses.

But then I saw the second baseman. He was down. And not getting up. I put my glasses on and hurried over to him with the other guys.

Oh God! I thought to myself. What if he’s hurt!

The other players were already gathered around. They lifted him up to a sitting position. He was holding his side. Our coach asked what happened. I said it was my fault. I didn’t call it.

They got him standing up. And it turned out he was OK. It was probably just the shock of the impact. For both of us. For me it was like a car crash you didn’t see coming. A violent out-of-body spinning sensation. And then everything stops, and for a moment you don’t know which way is up.

I remember driving home after that game, wondering if my new teammates would ever trust me again. Before that game, I had not really thought about getting injured or injuring others as a possibility.

Now, I realized I had literally done the worst thing you can do in senior softball.

Rebuilding trust

At first, my teammates didn’t trust me. Nobody said anything. But it was pretty obvious that I was on an unspoken probation.

But from that moment on, I locked onto the idea to never run into anyone, in any situation, for any reason.

Also, I became the “call it” guy.

Everyone always says you have to “call it,” but more often than not, nobody does, because people aren’t sure if they do “have it” because we’re just a bunch of old guys playing softball.

But boy, for the rest of that season, when it was clear that I was the closest person to the ball, I CALLED IT. I BELTED IT OUT. I SCREAMED IT AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS. The players in the other games, on the other softball diamonds, could hear me.

And then most of the time, I did catch it. Without running into anyone. And by the end of the season, I was back in everyone’s good graces.

Still though, I just ran into a guy last night. And this is my fourth season! That is not good.

So I have to be on guard. That’s why I’m writing this now. To remind myself, in public, in print. What is the most important rule in softball? DON’T RUN INTO THE SENIORS!

​Collision, Lifestyle, Senior softball, Softball, Sports, Blake’s progress 

Pete Buttigieg revealed that his husband and children were the target of what he called a “cruel, politically motivated hoax” involving Child Protective Services.

The former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and failed presidential candidate wrote in a Substack article published Friday that someone made a false report against him in attempt to separate his family.

‘I’m used to any number of falsehoods, attacks, and serious problems being thrown my way. What I didn’t understand was what could have led to this kind of visit.’

Buttigieg compared the incident to swatting, where a fake call to police sends officers to a victim’s home in hopes of causing an injurious or deadly confrontation.

“Now imagine the same concept, but with Child Protective Services instead of a SWAT team,” he wrote. “Hadn’t thought of that? Me neither, until a few days ago when a police officer and a CPS worker showed up at our home and politely asked to speak with me.”

The police told him they needed to interview his 4-year-old twin children alone in order to investigate an accusation of abuse they received.

“I was bewildered and troubled, but tried to stay calm. I’m used to any number of falsehoods, attacks, and serious problems being thrown my way. What I didn’t understand was what could have led to this kind of visit,” he continued.

Police separated the children overnight while the investigation cleared them of the allegations.

Buttigieg described what investigators told him led to the investigation. It was a tip from someone who called Child Protective Services.

The caller said that he had spoken to a woman who claimed to have met me at a conference several years ago in Alabama, where she said I told her that I had committed unspeakable violent crimes, and the caller believed my children were still at risk.

The officer said they believed the incident was politically motivated and would not lead to charges because nothing had been found in the forensic interview with the children.

“After the officer, the CPS worker, and the lawyers all left, Chasten and I hugged each other as tightly as we have any time since the day our son was put on life support as a critically ill infant just weeks after the adoption,” he added.

He went on to say that the officials’ time and effort had been wasted by the “cruel, politically motivated hoax that harmed our family.”

RELATED: Buttigieg’s husband has his children pledge allegiance to LGBTQ flag, dresses potatoes as drag queens

Michigan State Police confirmed to MS Now that they had received an “anonymous report” in the case and had determined the report was a false accusation.

“False reports are dangerous and divert law enforcement officers and Child Protective Services workers from responding to legitimate emergencies and protecting vulnerable children and families,” read the statement from police.

Buttigieg called the incident the “ugliest thing” that has ever happened to him since his political career began.

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​Child protective services, False accusation, False report, Pete buttigieg, Violent crimes, Gay couple, Politics 

The fantastic success of the World Cup in the U.S. has soured many Democrats who were hoping it would be a black eye for President Donald Trump, according to a Politico report.

The report found that many believed the complex logistics of organizing the global event might be too much for American officials but that that hope has been dashed so far.

‘What an absolute crock of an article.’

“I think that there was a little bit of like liberal wishcasting that this would maybe be a disaster to sort of stick it to Trump,” said Democratic strategist Rob Flaherty. “It hasn’t yet been.”

It went on to say that Democrats have pivoted from criticizing the tournament in anticipation of its failure to praising local officials rather than crediting the Trump administration.

The Politico report was unwelcome on social media, where many on the left expressed their outrage.

“This is the most hilarious stretch I’ve ever read,” replied A.J. Delgado, who identifies as anti-Trump. “Yes, nothing makes Dems more uncomfortable than Dem-mayor Boston; Dem-mayor Atlanta; Dem-mayor Miami and more doing a great job hosting. This is like saying Dems are struggling with the Knicks’ success.”

“Why would Democrats grapple with it being that it’s democratic cities that benefited from it? Pretty stupid headline,” responded Leslie Marshall.

“What an absolute crock of an article,” said another X user.

“Truly stupid claim. Conservatives make everything political & divisive. The media was so much better when it simply reported events,” said another critic.

“Article is trash. Dems arent uncomfortable with #WorldCup success,” replied one detractor. “You can enjoy games, events and Europeans amazement of American culture while also thinking Trump is POS. Cup just showed Europeans think Trump is POS but still love USA.”

RELATED: Atlanta stadium accused of promoting Islam at World Cup match

White House spokesperson Davis Ingle responded to the report by praising Trump’s role.

“Thanks to President Trump’s bold leadership, the FIFA World Cup 2026 will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest and most historic sporting events in history,” he said on social media.

“Another win for the American people and the world,” he added.

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​Democrats, World cup, White house, President donald trump, Politics 

President Donald Trump went on the attack against the far-left socialists making inroads into the Democratic party after a series of primary victories.

Three far left extremists defeated their establishment centrist counterparts in elections Tuesday in New York City, leading to recriminations and chaos within the Democratic party.

‘They’re not social Democrats. They want to completely destroy the traditional American way of life.’

Trump offered a preview of his speech against the far left movement in a post Friday on Truth Social.

“These are not social Dumocrats, these are hard core, godless Communists,” wrote the president. “This is the most serious threat to our Country since its existence 250 years ago. Isn’t it ironic, we’re celebrating a very important Birthday, and instead of speaking about Christ, Freedom, and Victories of all different kinds, we’re speaking about yet another threat to the Foundations of America.”

He added: “They’re animals! In many cases, not smart but, in some cases, they are.”

Trump then expanded on his statement in a speech at the Faith and Freedom Coalition policy conference at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C.

“They’re not social Democrats. They want to completely destroy the traditional American way of life,” said the president.

“The Democrats have taken a tremendous turn left. And many of these people, I looked at some of the people that got elected the other night in New York,” Trump added. “These are these are in many ways stupid people in some ways and intellectually probably pretty smart, but they’re people that want to destroy our country. They hate our country. They hate our people.”

He then said the Democrats were not fighting the communist takeover of their party.

“They’re after Christianity more than any other religion. It seems to be more and more throughout the world,” the president continued. “Maybe because we’re doing so well. I don’t know. Maybe if we weren’t doing well. But you see the numbers, how they’re growing, how the churches are filling up. It’s a beautiful thing to see. I mean, look, it happens to be during my presidency, so I don’t mind taking credit for it. I’m very proud.”

A group of Democrats did come together to oppose the socialist takeover of their party. 13 Democrats signed a pledge to defend America against extremism from both the left and the right.

RELATED: Woke ‘Squad’ member appears to confess to undermining Trump embargo on Cuba

“The United States has never been stronger. We have never been wealthier. We’ve never been prouder to be an American,” Trump said.

“Since 1776, America’s story has been a tale of freedom, overcoming oppression, good defeating evil, and faith overcoming every challenge and every foe,” he added. “We had everybody was winning, and we’re going to continue stronger, maybe stronger.”

The president finished with a prayer to God to continue blessing the U.S., and walked out as “Y.M.C.A” by the Village People blared over the speakers.

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​Christianity, Communism, Democratic party, President donald trump, Socialism, Politics