Michael Bilow

News Analysis – Failure on COVID-19 rapid testing availability: Insurers game the system

A federal mandate issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires health insurers to either directly cover or indirectly reimburse each insured individual for up to eight at-home over-the-counter COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) kits per month, up to $12 per test. Families on the same insurance plan are eligible for RAT […]

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Nicolella, Gamache named youth poetry ambassador, deputy: Annual appointments resume in 2022 after pandemic hiatus

Lourdes Nicolella of the Moses Brown School has been selected as youth poetry ambassador and Adi Gamache of the Met School has been selected as deputy youth poetry ambassador for 2022 by Poet Laureate Tina Cane, the RI Center for the Book announced in a statement. Adam Fontaine of Smithfield High School and Cyprus Weaver […]

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Alexander-Scott not running for Congress: Former RI health director bows out of politics for now

Dr Nicole Alexander-Scott, who resigned from her post as director of the RI Department of Health a few weeks ago (“RI Health Director Alexander-Scott resigns: Led state’s COVID-19 response from the beginning”, by Michael Bilow, Jan 13, 2022), sent Motif a statement ending speculation that she would be a candidate for the open seat being […]

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Blizzard criteria met in RI, MA: NWS announces list of stations that qualified

The National Weather Service announced at 5:41pm that the official requirements for classifying the Jan 29 storm as a blizzard were met at a number of (mostly airport) observation stations, including Providence (KPVD), Westerly (KWST), Newport (KUUU), and Block Island (KBID) in RI and Boston (KBOS), Worcester (KORH), Beverly (KBVY), Hyannis (KHYA), Marshfield (KGHG), and […]

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High-impact winter storm/blizzard likely, 12–24 inches snow: Fri 9pm–Sat 8pm time frame

Blizzard Warning in effect from Sat Jan 29, 12:00am EST until Sun Jan 30, 12:00am EST. RI has declared a state of emergency and imposed a travel ban Sat until 11:59pm for all vehicles. RIPTA has suspended all service Sat. A classic “nor’easter” winter storm is bringing blizzard conditions and an estimated 12–24 inches of […]

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RI Gov. McKee updates blizzard situation: 9:30am press conference

(Click here to watch the full press conference.) After declaring a state of emergency and imposing a travel ban because of the blizzard affecting RI today, Gov. Daniel McKee gave a progress report at a press conference held at the Emergency Management Agency (EMA) in Cranston this morning at 9:30am. He was accompanied by Lt. […]

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