US Politics
In Louisiana’s Republican Senate primary, incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy finished third, marking the first primary loss for a sitting senator in a regularly scheduled election in nearly 15 years. Cassidy was blamed by many for helping sink Casey Means’ nomination for surgeon general, which drew sharp criticism from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, and his MAHA movement. He’s also been labeled a “big pharma shill” by opponents, and he voted to convict Trump during impeachment over the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Rep. Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming advance to a June 27 runoff. Some social media commentary has attributed the outcome primarily to Trump’s endorsement of Letlow rather than a broad repudiation of Cassidy’s legislative record.
In other news, a federal jury in Florida convicted Brett Blackman, founder and CEO of HealthSplash, on multiple conspiracy charges related to a scheme that billed Medicare and other federal programs more than $1 billion for unnecessary durable medical equipment. Prosecutors showed that the operation used foreign call centers and telemedicine doctors to target seniors. Blackman faces up to 20 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for August 26, 2026. Recent online discussions have noted the scale of the fraud and questioned the extent of mainstream media coverage of the verdict.
Lastly, several states, including Tennessee, North Carolina, Indiana, Louisiana, Montana, Wyoming, and Oklahoma, now require proof of citizenship for public healthcare enrollment. Tennessee will disenroll adult applicants unable to verify legal status by May 29 under a new state law.
Health
The Department of Justice, as announced by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., conducted the largest autism fraud bust in American history, targeting schemes that exploited vulnerable children. Officials described the operation as organized theft involving brazen billing for non-existent services, fraudulent diagnoses, and fake care, rather than mere paperwork errors or technical violations. The actions enriched criminals at public expense while diverting critical time, care, and resources from children genuinely in need of autism support.
Meanwhile, Texas Children’s Hospital agreed to open the first U.S. clinic dedicated to addressing the effects of gender transition procedures on minors as part of a $10 million settlement with the Department of Justice and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The hospital will dismiss five physicians who performed such treatments, end pediatric gender-affirming care, and provide free multidisciplinary services for five years to help patients. The hospital stated that it settled without admitting wrongdoing to avoid further litigation costs.
Energy
Volkswagen-backed Gotion High-Tech introduced its Gnascent sodium-ion battery line at its global technology conference, with gigawatt-hour production lines operating in China and mass production set for the fourth quarter of 2026. The high-energy variant reaches 261 Wh/kg density suitable for electric vehicles, the power version functions at minus 50 degrees Celsius, and the storage model delivers 20,000 cycles with strong cold-weather retention. The batteries passed nail-penetration and high-temperature safety tests without ignition. Prior attempts to build U.S. production facilities for the company have encountered political opposition.
Sources
DOJ Executes Largest Autism Fraud Bust in U.S. History
This was not a paperwork error. It was not a technical violation. This was organized theft.
Trump-Backed Letlow Tops Cassidy in Louisiana Senate Primary Upset
Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) came in third in Louisiana’s Republican Senate primary on Saturday – marking the first time in nearly 15 years that a sitting US Senator has lost a primary in a regularly scheduled election.
Healthcare ‘Innovator’ CEO Convicted in $1B Medicare Fraud Targeting Seniors
This was not health care. It was a billion-dollar fraud machine.
Texas Children’s Hospital to Launch First U.S. Detransition Clinic in $10M Settlement
Texas Children’s Hospital will open the first U.S. clinic to reverse gender transition procedures on minors.
States Begin Removing Illegal Immigrants From Public Healthcare Rolls
A number of states are implementing or are on the path to implementing similar laws, including North Carolina, Indiana, Louisiana, Montana, Wyoming and Oklahoma.
Gotion’s Sodium-Ion Launch: The Battery Breakthrough That Could Finally Dethrone Lithium
This is the turning point for off-grid storage and electric vehicles.
by westcoastjan 
