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GOP gubernatorial candidate fighting to flip blue state unveils healthcare plan to lower costs, expand access

GOP gubernatorial candidate fighting to flip blue state unveils healthcare plan to lower costs, expand access

EXCLUSIVE: While Massachusetts boasts some of the premier hospitals in the world, it also suffers from some of the highest healthcare costs in America.  GOP gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue believes that is no coincidence.  In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, the former longtime medical devices CEO says the commonwealth can boost access, cut costs and reduce regulation through innovation as opposed to government mandates. MIKE MINOGUE HEADS TO MASS GOP CONVENTION READY TO TAKE ON MAURA HEALEY: ‘SHE’S BANKRUPTING OUR STATE’ “I think the most important thing that can help health care is to have a ‘patients first mindset.’ When I was the CEO of Abiomed, everyone rallied around the patients-first culture, commitment and every action. “Every decision that we took really was focused on, ‘Does this improve the patient outcome? Does this help the physicians and the nurses make it easier to use? Does it help us save money for the system?’” He cited the weighty regulatory burden imposed on nurses and doctors as part of the problem. “We [must] have a focus that we’re really going through areas that allow for patients to get access to their physicians, their nurses, and also utilize innovation, things that are breakthrough and things that can minimize the burden on the physicians and the nurses with regulations and documentation. “I’m optimistic because I’ve seen it firsthand. I’ve worked with healthcare systems all over the world. I specifically know how hard physicians and nurses work, and they’re the heart of that system. So, what we’re going to focus on is a patients-first health care plan that brings access to quality, affordable care.” Healthcare is a top concern for Bay State voters, and Minogue hopes to use the issue to his advantage in a tough battle to challenge incumbent Democrat Gov. Maura Healey. He notes that the often stark disparity between healthcare access and quality between the metro Boston area and the rest of the state is a perpetual problem that needs a remedy. “Right now, if you look at what’s happening around Massachusetts, we’re losing innovation and treatment in areas that do not now have opportunity for high-risk procedures, whether it’s maternity, cardiac or stroke. “We have areas now in communities that might have a 50-plus minute drive to get to the nearest area. An example is Norwood. The hospital closed. So, if you have a cardiac event in Norwood, you’re looking at a 55-minute-plus drive at best to get to Boston.” Minogue promises that, during his tenure, he will work to improve coverage and care statewide. “This is the role of the governor — to provide hub-and-spoke innovation in healthcare for the whole commonwealth, not just Boston.” COMBAT VETERAN TURNED CEO HAS A NEW MISSION: FLIP GOVERNOR’S OFFICE IN BLUE STATE Yet, Minogue argues, the current system poses not merely a geographic problem, but a fiscal one. “Our regulations strangle the rest of the commonwealth and almost mandate that all procedures are being done in Boston in the highest-cost environment. If you go to outpatient centers and surgery centers, you reduce the cost of procedures, you lower the overhead and it’s a much easier process than driving all the way into Boston. We have incredible hospitals here, but we also have some of the lowest numbers of outpatient clinics and surgery centers as a state. We need to improve that.” Given his business background, Minogue is intimately familiar with the economics of providing healthcare coverage for thousands of families. “As a CEO, I bought health insurance for 19 years for my employees. I never saw an increase that wasn’t double-digit every year. … We need to lower the costs. “We also have to minimize mandating every single treatment and procedure onto every healthcare plan. We need to allow people to have the ability to select what care they want.” FOX NEWS POLL: GOP DIVISIONS SHAPE TEXAS SENATE RACE Minogue believes patients should have more flexibility in choosing their coverage while ensuring families are protected from financially devastating medical emergencies. “We do need to cap the catastrophic. … At Abiomed, what we did every year is we paid the extra amount so that we would always cap what it would cost the patient. We combined that with a health savings account, which is a great way for people to take more control over their own healthcare plan. Everything that you do in a patient’s first mindset solves a lot of problems.” With a mental health crisis surging across the state, Minogue has a solution for matching patients and therapists. “We do have an extensive amount of counselors, but most of them are on private pay. … We don’t allow general practitioners or counselors to get paid outside of private pay, so that’s why most of these patients are going to the emergency rooms. “It would be simple and more efficient if we also allowed the subsidized government pay to allow those patients to see the same people in the clinics that private-pay people have access to.” Minogue’s plan has specific provisions for addressing an area where the mental health crisis has been particularly acute. “One of the areas that I’m most focused on for mental health or PTSD is our correctional facility officers in Massachusetts have some of the highest suicide rates in America. “We know veterans with PTSD also have high suicide rates. These people are all ending up in emergency rooms, and that’s not a very good solution.” Hands-on experience with frontline healthcare workers is what Minogue believes gives his plan the credibility to set the Bay State on the right track again. “I’ve been very fortunate because I have a network of physicians and nurses and counselors that have been working with me for months. “We’ve collaborated so that we can come up with this patients-first plan. “If you put the patient at the center of that, the treatment plans can be very specialized for better outcomes at lower cost.” Finally, Minogue has a specific plan to

WATCH: GOP holdout rejects Trump threat as AG nominee standoff explodes

WATCH: GOP holdout rejects Trump threat as AG nominee standoff explodes

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., brushed aside President Donald Trump’s threat to withdraw acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination Thursday, arguing the White House must instead honor what he says was an earlier commitment to win his vote. “That’s his prerogative,” Tillis said of Trump’s threat to withdraw Blanche’s nomination. Tillis’ comments come after Trump called out both Tillis and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, on Truth Social Thursday morning for blocking the president’s efforts to make Blanche the nation’s top prosecutor.  Trump then threatened to pull Blanche’s nomination until the two Republican senators leave office next year. Tillis is retiring, and Cornyn lost his primary in his run for re-election. TRUMP THREATENS TO YANK HIS OWN AG NOMINEE AS GOP REVOLT GROWS Tillis argued Trump cannot resolve this nomination standoff “unless we fulfill what we thought was the commitment from the administration.” The North Carolina senator has withheld his support for Blanche unless the administration agrees to permanently eliminate the nearly $2 billion anti-weaponization fund and rewrite Trump’s audit immunity language in a settlement agreement. Negotiations over those demands remain ongoing. “The best thing is, take the win, get Blanche confirmed and get this agreement out of the way,” Tillis told Fox News Digital. When asked what it would take to get Tillis to vote to confirm Blanche, he said, “exactly what Blanche committed to.” TRUMP ADMIN PUSHES BACK ON ‘SLUSH FUND’ ATTACKS AGAINST ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND AND LAYS OUT WHO QUALIFIES Tillis stressed that Blanche is not to blame for the impasse, saying he believes he “was honest” during his confirmation process and that he blames someone on Trump’s team. “This is not Blanche’s problem. It’s clear to me that Blanche was honest when he answered without hesitation, working with us to end this,” Tillis said. “I believe that one of the president’s advisors who were part of this agreement is the problem. And they need to own it.” Tillis also pointed out that there is no certainty that the Senate would be any more accepting of Blanche next year, particularly as Republicans have more seats in danger than Democrats in the Senate. “The best-case scenario is you come back with the same number of people next year, and our members are not going to be any more supportive of this than they are today.” TRUMP-TILLIS TIFF DEEPENS AS PRESIDENT SAYS HE ‘QUIT,’ CONCEDES FED FIGHT COULD DOOM NEW CHAIR CONFIRMATION Trump could still keep Blanche as acting attorney general for months even if he withdraws the nomination. The Federal Vacancies Reform Act allows acting officials to serve for 210 days, and withdrawing a pending nomination resets that clock. If Trump were to pull Blanche’s nomination Thursday, Blanche could remain in the role until late February. Despite Trump’s public threat, Tillis said negotiations with the administration remain ongoing and said he is “not a no” on Blanche. “In this place, nothing’s ever as good or as bad as it seems, so we’re continuing to negotiate,” Tillis said. Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller and Adam Pack contributed to this report.

Mamdani’s ‘this is only the beginning’ announcement cracking down on food delivery tips sparks outrage

Mamdani’s ‘this is only the beginning’ announcement cracking down on food delivery tips sparks outrage

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing fresh criticism after taking credit for a reported $104 million increase in delivery worker tips that critics say was made possible by legislation enacted before he took office and will likely only exacerbate cost of living issues in the city. The criticism comes after Mamdani declared at a press conference Wednesday and in a social media post, “We’ve put $104 million back in delivery workers’ pockets,” citing changes to Uber Eats’ and DoorDash’s apps that made tipping more prominent. “This is only the beginning,” Mamdani wrote. Those changes stem from a city law approved by the New York City Council before Mamdani became mayor. Former Mayor Eric Adams neither signed nor vetoed the measure, allowing it to become law after 30 days. The rules took effect in January under the Mamdani administration, which implemented and enforced the requirements. MAMDANI’S ‘RATION SHOP’ GROCERY PLAN FACES BLISTERING ECONOMIC CRITIQUE AS OPPONENTS BLAST SOCIALIST POLICY Before the law took effect, the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection found that Uber Eats and DoorDash had hidden tip buttons and set default tips below 10%, contributing to a 79% decline in tips for delivery workers. The law required the companies to make tipping more prominent, and city officials say the resulting changes have since generated an estimated $104 million in additional tips. Mamdani’s office rejected the criticism that the mayor was taking credit for someone else’s work, arguing that while the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection pushed for the reforms before he took office, the rules were implemented under his administration beginning Jan. 26.  “A law is only as good as its implementation,” a spokesperson for Mamdani told Fox News Digital. “We have been intentional about enforcing the laws on the books so that we are putting money back into the pockets of working New Yorkers.” Conservatives and political commentators on social media quickly blasted Mamdani for the already high costs of goods and services in New York City, and some accused the mayor of taking credit for legislation that was born before his term. “This guy is a fantastic lying politician,” actor Michael Rapaport posted on X. “He had literally nothing to do with this. City Council passed the bill last August and 419 Eric Adams never signed it. 30 days the bill became law. It went into effect when Mamdani was in office. He just taking the credit.” MAMDANI’S RENT FREEZE, TAX HIKES A ‘ONE-TWO WEALTH DESTRUCTION PUNCH,’ ECONOMISTS WARN “In other words you are trying to say that you forced Uber and Doordash to make it that New Yorkers pay more for their food deliveries by having the default tip amount be a lot higher,” conservative influencer account Leftism posted on X.  “Socialism 101 — have others pay for things and make as if it’s your accomplishment.” “Coming soon — $50 avocado toast,” Washington Free Beacon reporter Jon Levine posted on X. “So you increased prices for your citizens?” National Review contributor Pradheep Shanker posted on X. “Congrats.” “What really happened,” finance podcaster Joseph Carlson posted on X. “They forced delivery drivers to be paid minimum wage of $22/hr. This wage is paid by higher fees passed on to DoorDash or Uber customer. Since the customer was already paying these higher fees, these apps made tipping optional. Then New York required them to also be tipped on top of the higher fees. “So now New York (residents) get to enjoy paying both a high base pay and a tip on top of it. The customer is double-paying for delivery. All of this cost is passed onto the New Yorker resident. They’re paying more than the market demands for a product and service because of market manipulation.”