Ahead of the 2025 fiscal year, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube faced a daunting task on Thursday: revitalising Zimbabwe’s economy and filling the coffers of a Government encountering challenges to meet its obligations. In 2024, Government coffers came short, forcing Treasury to order ministries, departments and Government agencies (MDA) to prioritise spending. In a letter to the MDAs, Treasury said during the last quarter of the year, priority will be given to support social protection programmes, “which are still lagging behind in terms of their budget utilisation”. This is after revenue projections fell short of expenditures. During the first nine months of the year, total revenue collections amounted to ZiG62,4 billion, against expenditures amounting to ZiG66,5 billion. Consequently, a budget deficit of ZiG4,1 billion was recorded. Total revenue collections to year end are projected at ZiG110,7 billion, while expenditures are expected at ZiG119,97 billion (18,4 percent of GDP), resulting in a projected deficit of ZiG9,3 billion. With a constrained fiscal space, Treasury relied heavily on borrowing and even faced accusations of excessive money printing. The fiscal deficit as at September 2024 stood at ZiG4,1 billion and was financed through issuance of securities amounting to ZiG2,3 billion and drawdown of bank balance carried forward from the previous financial year. The year 2025 is not expected to be any better. In line with the projected GDP growth of 6 percent, during 2025, revenue collections are estimated at ZiG 270,3 billion (19,6 percent of GDP) while the 2025 fiscal framework provides for overall expenditures of ZiG276,4 billion or 20,1 percent of GDP. In US dollar terms, the Fiscal Framework translates to a GDP of approximately US$38,2 billion, revenues of US$7,5 billion and expenditures of US$7,7 billion. Mthuli said the budget deficit will be financed from the domestic markets and external sources. However, even after accounting for borrowing, the spending envelope still fell short of vote allocations. During the 2025 National Budget formulation stage, MDAs submitted total bids of over ZiG$700 billion, against the available budget envelope of ZiG 276,4 billion. This is more than double the ceiling of revenue collection capacity of 19,6 percent of GDP. To address this, Mthuli embarked on an ambitious plan to broaden the tax base by tightening existing tax administration and introducing new taxes and regulations. One such measure was the imposition of a “Fast Foods Tax” on popular items like pizza, burgers, and shawarma that will attract a tax rate of 0,5 percent on the sales value, with effect from 1 January 2025. The betting industry was not spared. A 10 percent withholding tax was imposed on the gross winnings of sports betting punters, aiming to tap into this growing sector. Furthermore, a wide range of businesses, from fabric and clothing merchandisers to car dealers and lodges, are now mandated to register for corporate and personal income tax. Failure to comply would result in hefty penalties. Mthuli proposed that any operator that fails to register and account for taxes be compelled to pay tax between US$9 000 and US$15 000. “I, further, propose to empower ZIMRA to temporarily close businesses which fail to adhere to the above requirements, including failure to register for tax purposes, until such registration and payment of applicable taxes are completed,” said Mthuli. To monitor transactions and enhance tax compliance, even small businesses were required to adopt the Virtual Fiscalisation System. “I, propose to extend the Virtual Fiscalisation System for the recording of VAT taxable transactions to Micro and Small Enterprises whose turnover falls below the VAT registration threshold for purposes of monitoring sales, during the first quarter of 2025. “This will assist in promoting transparency and ultimately enhance tax compliance by Micro and Small Enterprises,” said Mthuli. The mining sector also came under scrutiny. Mineral royalties were included in the definition of taxes, and mining companies were required to register for income tax before applying for mining rights. “I, therefore, wish to emphasise that, in the general interest of the public, royalties shall be payable on any mineral or mineral bearing ore or products during any period of assessment. “In addition, I propose that the Minister responsible for Finance be empowered to designate any mineral as being subject to royalties, notwithstanding the provisions of any other legislation. The Government also introduced a Special Capital Gains Tax on the transfer of mining rights. “I propose that no mining company should be allowed to make any application for mining rights without registration for Personal and Corporate Income Tax. “While these measures aimed to increase revenue, Mthuli also acknowledged the need for tax relief. The personal income tax-free threshold was adjusted to provide relief to taxpayers. “I propose to review the local currency Tax-Free Threshold to ZiG2 800 per month and accordingly adjust the tax bands,” said Mthuli. Additionally, the Capital Gains Withholding Tax on marketable securities was reduced. “I, therefore, propose that marketable securities be subject to Capital Gains Withholding Tax at a rate of 1 percent on the gross value of the price at which the security is sold, with effect from January 1, 2025. To promote environmental sustainability, the Government introduced a 20 percent Plastic Carrier Bag Tax and provided incentives for the use of electric vehicles and solar power. Trigrams Investment analyst, Walter Mandeya, said the success of these measures will depend on effective implementation and enforcement. “As Zimbabwe navigates its economic challenges, the Government’s ability to strike a delicate balance between taxation and economic growth will be crucial,” he said. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s economy is poised for significant growth in 2025, with projections indicating a 6 percent expansion. While slightly lower than the initial forecast of 6,5 percent, this figure represents a significant rebound from previous years including 2024, which is expected to grow by just 2 percent. Key sectors driving this growth include agriculture, which is expected to surge by 12,8 percent, powered by favourable weather conditions and increased investment. The energy sector, specifically electricity generation, is projected to grow by 10.6 percent, alleviating power shortages and boosting industrial activity. The information technology sector, a burgeoning industry, is anticipated to expand by 9,9 percent, fueled by increasing digital adoption and innovation. The mining sector, a traditional economic mainstay, is expected to grow by 5,6 percent, driven by rising commodity prices and increased investment in mining operations. On the demand side, private consumption is projected to be the primary driver of growth in 2025, with an estimated 6,6 percent increase. This is attributed to a strong recovery in household spending as economic conditions improve. Government consumption is also expected to contribute to growth, albeit at a more modest pace of 5,3 percent. Gross fixed capital investment is projected to rebound significantly from 0.5 percent in 2024 to 4,6 percent in 2025. This surge in investment is expected to be driven by the private sector, which is increasingly confident in the country’s economic outlook. The economy is expected to experience stable inflation in 2025, with a projected average month-on-month inflation rate of less than 3 percent. This stability is attributed to the implementation of tight fiscal and monetary policies. While US dollar year-on-year inflation increased from -2,9 percent in January 2024 to 3,3 percent in November 2024, the outlook for the exchange rate remains positive. Mandeya, however, called for caution. “While these projections are promising, it is crucial to note that several challenges remain. These include high levels of debt, infrastructure deficits and political uncertainty. ‘However, with prudent economic policies, sustained reforms, and a conducive business environment, Zimbabwe has the potential to unlock its economic potential and achieve sustainable growth,’ said Mandeya. Source: Business Weekly'Postecoglou trial goes on as Spurs' lost tourists ransacked by ruthless Rangers'

This exclusive Protein Works discount code for Black Friday will have you making gains in no timeBy Bradley Schnure Like many people, I’ve been following news of the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson with great interest. Some people on social media have tried to glorify the alleged shooter, calling him a hero. Others have attempted to justify the crime, saying the insurance CEO deserved payback for his company killing countless customers through denied claims for coverage. As a former long-time employee of the New Jersey Legislature, I believe targeting anyone in an extrajudicial way is wrong, regardless of how despicable we may think them to be. In a nation of laws, we cannot begin to believe that it’s appropriate to seek our own justice from the barrel of a gun. I believe it’s nothing less than tragic that our system of health care in this country is so broken that so many people seem to think otherwise. Despite recent events, I believe we have reason to be hopeful, but I fully understand the bitterness that got us here. That’s because I’m also a 48-year-old Stage IV lung cancer patient with a folder full of my own denial letters to show for it. Over the past several years, I’ve been denied care many times, including a scan requested by a doctor that likely would have caught my cancer at an earlier stage before it spread. I have written on social media about my experience with eviCore , a third-party service provider that many insurers use to review and increasingly deny pre-authorization requests from doctors. In my case, I visited a string of specialists over close to a year to try to understand the source of a persistent cough. In the summer of 2022, my ENT came frustratingly close to finding my lung cancer when it was still curable. He requested a simple, relatively inexpensive CT scan that eviCore promptly denied. He challenged the denial and provided his clinical notes along with an additional explanation detailing the need, only to be denied a second time. Ultimately, I gave up trying to get that scan approved. I didn’t realize how serious those denials would prove to be until a full year later. In July of 2023, my health quickly deteriorated over several days. My wife rushed me to the emergency room as I gasped for breath. Thankfully, CT scans in the emergency room don’t require pre-authorization. As a result of that scan, I quickly learned from a pair of attentive ER doctors that I had “metastatic lung disease.” After a few more tests over several days, I was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, which resulted in my unexpected retirement from the Legislature. The saddest moment of my life, by far, was lying in a hospital bed and telling my young children that I loved them and might not have long to live. It was heartbreaking to see the tears in their eyes as they tried to understand that their dad might die. I wouldn’t wish that experience on anyone. Sadly, too many other people have similar stories, as recently reported by ProPublica . How many of those horror stories could have been prevented if doctors didn’t have to beg insurance companies for permission to diagnose and treat their own patients? It’s a simple question that deserves an answer. Here in New Jersey, Senator Jon Bramnick (R-21) and Senate President Nick Scutari (D-22) have proposed a solution. They sponsor a bipartisan bill (S-2257) that would prohibit pre-authorization requirements for medical tests, procedures, and prescription drugs that are covered under people’s plans. I don’t know if that’s a complete solution to a very complex problem, but it would amount to a significant step forward for both patients and their doctors. Every three months, I need to get a CT scan of my body and MRI of my brain to track the progression of my disease. And just about every three months, I get a letter from eviCore denying one scan or the other. My cancer center has teams of administrators who do nothing but appeal denials on behalf of their patients, including me. The same is true for just about every doctor’s office and hospital across the country. Driven by the massive cost of managing insurance pre-authorizations for standard services, it’s no wonder the United States has the highest cost for medical administration in the world, nearly three times more than anyone else. If any good might come from the death of Brian Thompson, I hope it’s that our nation finally begins a long-overdue discussion about solving this problem. There are lots of lurking pitfalls to be sure, including the challenge of reducing the potential for lawsuits that drives many doctors to practice defensive medicine by ordering extra tests that insurers say are unnecessary. We also need to be careful not to sacrifice the parts of the system that are working well today, namely the research and development of new drugs and therapies. I have ALK-positive lung cancer, which is an oncogenic cancer that is most common in younger non-smokers. It’s vastly different from other, more common types of lung cancer, which is why standard lung cancer treatments usually fail quickly. In fact, just 15 years ago, I likely would have died within a few weeks of my diagnosis. That’s how fast practical research has advanced in recent years. Since the pandemic, doctors are reporting a spike in many rare cancers, such as mine, among people of all ages. Like many other people with a variety of diseases, I’m dependent on a recently developed medication that, unfortunately, won’t be effective in treating me forever. And like many others, the eventual length of my life will depend on the continued willingness of profit-seeking businesses to continue their massive investment in the significant costs associated with research, development, and clinical trials. For me, and millions of others, health care today is a race against the clock. Celebrating a killer won’t extend my life or anyone else’s, but enacting common-sense legislative reforms almost certainly will. The author is the former Communications Director for the New Jersey Senate Republican Office. He served the Legislature for more than 22 years prior to his diagnosis with Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com . Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion . Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook .Profit, dividend repatriation rises to $807m in July-October KARACHI: The repatriation of profits and dividends from foreign investments in Pakistan increased by 66.26 per cent to $807.2 million in the first four months of this fiscal year, the central bank data showed on Tuesday. Multinational firms and foreign investors who participated in the local stock market sent $413.8 million to their home countries in October, compared with $18.7 million a month earlier. Since the start of the fiscal year 2025, foreign companies operating in Pakistan have been sending home a significant amount of their repatriated revenues due to the ongoing improvement in the nation’s external account. Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves held by the central bank rose by $29 million to $11.29 billion as of November 15.The current account balance recorded a surplus for the third consecutive month in October. Pakistan posted a current account surplus of $349 million in October, bringing the cumulative surplus from July to October to $218 million. Analysts say that although the figures seem higher on an annual basis, they actually show normalised repatriation because the government stopped repatriating profits for several months last year in order to manage external liabilities. Normalised repatriation implies that the government is permitting foreign companies to move their profits overseas. Data from the SBP shows that the amount of profit repatriation from foreign direct investment increased from $456.2 million in July-October of last year to $772.5 million in July-October of FY25. Profits and dividends from investments were paid out in July-October totalled $34.7 million, compared with $29.2 million a year earlier. In July-October FY25, the food sector saw the biggest outflow of profits and dividends, with $186 million, up from $68.4 million last year. After $115.5 million in repatriations, the power sector came in second, while the financial businesses came in third with $94.4 million in outflows in the first four months of the current fiscal year.

Australia news LIVE: Social media ban for under 16s set to pass parliament; Trump cabinet picks targeted by bomb threatsNate Johnson scores 25 as Akron defeats Alabama State 97-78Gavin and Stacey star reveals cast were kept in dark about SECOND plot twist as she lifts lid on top secret filmingClayton scores 34 as Ohio knocks off Portland 85-73

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TORONTO — CBC is restoring its live New Year's Eve celebration. A year after the national broadcaster cancelled the 2024 countdown due to "financial pressures," it says the special event is back on the TV schedule to mark the dawn of 2025. Festivities begin Dec. 31 with the one-hour "22 Minutes New Year's Eve Pregame Special," a satirical reflection on the events of 2024 with the cast of the political comedy series "This Hour Has 22 Minutes." It will be followed by "Canada Live! Countdown 2025," a special hosted by news anchor Adrienne Arsenault and singer Jann Arden broadcasting live from Toronto's Harbourfront Centre, and anchor Ian Hanomansing and comedian Ali Hassan at Vancouver's VanDusen Botanical Garden. A representative for the CBC says the coast-to-coast show will feature reporters at more than a dozen community events across the country while a countdown to the new year will take place in each of the six time zones. Throughout the seven-and-a-half-hour program, "many Canadian celebrity guests" will appear in live and pre-taped messages. "Canada Live! Countdown 2025" begins at 8 p.m. ET on CBC News Network and CBC Gem with CBC-TV and CBC Radio picking up the feed at 9 p.m. in local markets. Last year, the CBC replaced its live New Year's Eve programming with a taped Just For Laughs special hosted by comedian Mae Martin. That left Canadians without a homegrown countdown on any of the major networks, which sparked blowback on social media from some viewers. The CBC began its annual specials in 2017 to mark Canada’s sesquicentennial year. Some of the more recent broadcasts were hosted by comedian Rick Mercer and featured fireworks and musical performances in key cities. But when CBC paused those plans last year, it said the show had become "increasingly expensive to produce." The decision to sideline the program was made shortly after members of Parliament summoned outgoing CBC president Catherine Tait to testify about job cuts and her refusal to rule out bonuses for CBC executives. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 12, 2024. David Friend, The Canadian Press

NoneSingapore workers are afraid to admit using AI at work, even as demand for AI talent surges

Mount Hope Mining prepares for ASX listingTikTok will soon block anyone under 18 years old from using filters on the social media platform that dramatically alter their facial features, according to a press release. Filters that alter a person’s appearance in ways like giving fuller lips or larger eyes will no longer be accessible to minors but funny filters that add things like bunny ears will reportedly be acceptable. The change will be rolled out globally in the next few weeks, according to a TikTok press release, and stems from concerns about the mental health of minors on the internet. Kids who’ve used facial “beauty” features can report feelings of depression and anxiety about their appearance and there’s growing concern about how social media may be altering the mental health of kids around the world. Questions emailed to TikTok about which filters specifically will be limited to adults did not receive a response, but the Guardian reports a filter like Bold Glamour will be unavailable to kids. The filter was introduced in early 2023 and became controversial for creating unrealistic beauty standards, according to NPR . Filters that only apply makeup but don’t make what look like structural changes to a person’s face will still be allowed for teens, according to the news outlet. The announcement is part of a crackdown on kids under the age of 13 using social media, which TikTok says it’s trying to stop. The 1-billion-user social media platform has a minimum age requirement of 13, which is pretty standard in the U.S. for similar tech. The company has also announced a plan to utilize artificial intelligence to make sure kids under 13 aren’t using TikTok. “This technology will help detect accounts that may belong to someone under 13 so that a specially trained moderator can review the account and remove it if they believe someone doesn’t meet our minimum age,” TikTok said in a statement . “Like today, people will be able to appeal if they think we’ve made a mistake.” The changes come as the fate of TikTok still remains unclear in the U.S., as former and future president Donald Trump prepares to take office on Jan. 20, 2025. Trump had previously railed against TikTok’s parent company ByteDance for being based in China, even going so far as to sign an executive order to force the company to divest or be banned in the U.S. But that order was challenged in court and dropped by the Biden administration before a new law banning the site was passed. Now, nobody knows what will happen since Trump himself has pulled a 180 and now supports TikTok being allowed to operate in the country. Trump insists it’s all about competition with social media platforms like Facebook, but there’s reasonable speculation it might have more to do with a Republican megadonor having a huge stake in ByteDance. It looks like we’ll find out soon.BEMIDJI — Six members of the Bemidji State women's soccer team were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Women's Soccer Team, announced by the organization Tuesday afternoon. Katrina Barthelt, Anna Breffle, Lauren Hodny, Emma Huelsnitz, Megan Ko and Maria Stocke each earned Academic All-District distinction selected by NCAA College Sports Communicators. The award recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. To be nominated, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically and starter or important reserve with at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at her current institution. Academic All-District honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot in early December.

You can get paid $2,500 to shop at Costco for a weekTarget's earnings miss isn't about the U.S. port strike. Here's what happened

MONACO, Dec. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scorpio Tankers Inc. (NYSE: STNG ) ("Scorpio Tankers," or the "Company") announced today that it has received commitments from a group of financial institutions for a revolving loan of up to $500.0 million (the "Revolving Credit Facility”). The Revolving Credit Facility is a 100% revolving loan, which has a final maturity of seven years from the signing date and gives the Company the flexibility to draw down or repay the loan during the loan tenor. The Revolving Credit Facility is expected to bear interest at SOFR plus a margin of 1.85% per annum and a commitment fee of 0.74% per annum applies for any undrawn amounts. The Revolving Credit Facility is expected to be collateralized by 26 product tankers, which are currently unencumbered, and is expected to amortize/reduce in quarterly installments (starting after the second anniversary of the signing date) with a balloon payment due at maturity date. The Revolving Credit Facility offers the Company an ability to substitute vessels and also includes an uncommitted accordion feature of up to $100.0 million, which may be incurred under the same terms and conditions at no later than 24 months after the signing date. The other terms and conditions of the Revolving Credit Facility, including financial covenants, are similar to those set forth in the Company's existing credit facilities. The Revolving Credit Facility is subject to customary conditions precedent and the execution of definitive documentation, and is expected to close within the first quarter of 2025. About Scorpio Tankers Inc. Scorpio Tankers Inc. is a provider of marine transportation of petroleum products worldwide. Scorpio Tankers Inc. currently owns or lease finances 100 product tankers (39 LR2 tankers, 47 MR tankers and 14 Handymax tankers) with an average age of 8.7 years. The Company has entered into an agreement to sell one of its MRs, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2024. Additional information about the Company is available at the Company's website www.scorpiotankers.com, which is not a part of this press release. Forward-Looking Statements Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward‐looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward‐looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward‐looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words "believe,” "expect,” "anticipate,” "estimate,” "intend,” "plan,” "target,” "project,” "likely,” "may,” "will,” "would,” "could” and similar expressions identify forward‐looking statements. The forward‐looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, management's examination of historical operating trends, data contained in the Company's records and other data available from third parties. Although management believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond the Company's control, there can be no assurance that the Company will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. The Company undertakes no obligation, and specifically declines any obligation, except as required by law, to publicly update or revise any forward‐looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in the Company's view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward‐looking statements include unforeseen liabilities, future capital expenditures, revenues, expenses, earnings, synergies, economic performance, indebtedness, financial condition, losses, future prospects, business and management strategies in response to epidemic and other public health concerns including any effect on demand for petroleum products and the transportation thereof, expansion and growth of the Company's operations, risks relating to the integration of assets or operations of entities that it has or may in the future acquire and the possibility that the anticipated synergies and other benefits of such acquisitions may not be realized within expected timeframes or at all, the failure of counterparties to fully perform their contracts with the Company, the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for tanker vessel capacity, changes in the Company's operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for the Company's vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, charter counterparty performance, ability to obtain financing and comply with covenants in such financing arrangements, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, including the impact of the conflict in Ukraine and the developments in the Middle East, including the armed conflict in Israel and Gaza, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessels breakdowns and instances of off‐hires, and other factors. Please see the Company's filings with the SEC for a more complete discussion of certain of these and other risks and uncertainties. Contact Information Scorpio Tankers Inc. James Doyle - Head of Corporate Development & Investor Relations Tel: +1 646-432-1678 Email: [email protected]Olivia Hussey, star of the 1968 film 'Romeo and Juliet,' dies at 73

By Bradley Schnure Like many people, I’ve been following news of the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson with great interest. Some people on social media have tried to glorify the alleged shooter, calling him a hero. Others have attempted to justify the crime, saying the insurance CEO deserved payback for his company killing countless customers through denied claims for coverage. As a former long-time employee of the New Jersey Legislature, I believe targeting anyone in an extrajudicial way is wrong, regardless of how despicable we may think them to be. In a nation of laws, we cannot begin to believe that it’s appropriate to seek our own justice from the barrel of a gun. I believe it’s nothing less than tragic that our system of health care in this country is so broken that so many people seem to think otherwise. Despite recent events, I believe we have reason to be hopeful, but I fully understand the bitterness that got us here. That’s because I’m also a 48-year-old Stage IV lung cancer patient with a folder full of my own denial letters to show for it. Over the past several years, I’ve been denied care many times, including a scan requested by a doctor that likely would have caught my cancer at an earlier stage before it spread. I have written on social media about my experience with eviCore , a third-party service provider that many insurers use to review and increasingly deny pre-authorization requests from doctors. In my case, I visited a string of specialists over close to a year to try to understand the source of a persistent cough. In the summer of 2022, my ENT came frustratingly close to finding my lung cancer when it was still curable. He requested a simple, relatively inexpensive CT scan that eviCore promptly denied. He challenged the denial and provided his clinical notes along with an additional explanation detailing the need, only to be denied a second time. Ultimately, I gave up trying to get that scan approved. I didn’t realize how serious those denials would prove to be until a full year later. In July of 2023, my health quickly deteriorated over several days. My wife rushed me to the emergency room as I gasped for breath. Thankfully, CT scans in the emergency room don’t require pre-authorization. As a result of that scan, I quickly learned from a pair of attentive ER doctors that I had “metastatic lung disease.” After a few more tests over several days, I was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, which resulted in my unexpected retirement from the Legislature. The saddest moment of my life, by far, was lying in a hospital bed and telling my young children that I loved them and might not have long to live. It was heartbreaking to see the tears in their eyes as they tried to understand that their dad might die. I wouldn’t wish that experience on anyone. Sadly, too many other people have similar stories, as recently reported by ProPublica . How many of those horror stories could have been prevented if doctors didn’t have to beg insurance companies for permission to diagnose and treat their own patients? It’s a simple question that deserves an answer. Here in New Jersey, Senator Jon Bramnick (R-21) and Senate President Nick Scutari (D-22) have proposed a solution. They sponsor a bipartisan bill (S-2257) that would prohibit pre-authorization requirements for medical tests, procedures, and prescription drugs that are covered under people’s plans. I don’t know if that’s a complete solution to a very complex problem, but it would amount to a significant step forward for both patients and their doctors. Every three months, I need to get a CT scan of my body and MRI of my brain to track the progression of my disease. And just about every three months, I get a letter from eviCore denying one scan or the other. My cancer center has teams of administrators who do nothing but appeal denials on behalf of their patients, including me. The same is true for just about every doctor’s office and hospital across the country. Driven by the massive cost of managing insurance pre-authorizations for standard services, it’s no wonder the United States has the highest cost for medical administration in the world, nearly three times more than anyone else. If any good might come from the death of Brian Thompson, I hope it’s that our nation finally begins a long-overdue discussion about solving this problem. There are lots of lurking pitfalls to be sure, including the challenge of reducing the potential for lawsuits that drives many doctors to practice defensive medicine by ordering extra tests that insurers say are unnecessary. We also need to be careful not to sacrifice the parts of the system that are working well today, namely the research and development of new drugs and therapies. I have ALK-positive lung cancer, which is an oncogenic cancer that is most common in younger non-smokers. It’s vastly different from other, more common types of lung cancer, which is why standard lung cancer treatments usually fail quickly. In fact, just 15 years ago, I likely would have died within a few weeks of my diagnosis. That’s how fast practical research has advanced in recent years. Since the pandemic, doctors are reporting a spike in many rare cancers, such as mine, among people of all ages. Like many other people with a variety of diseases, I’m dependent on a recently developed medication that, unfortunately, won’t be effective in treating me forever. And like many others, the eventual length of my life will depend on the continued willingness of profit-seeking businesses to continue their massive investment in the significant costs associated with research, development, and clinical trials. For me, and millions of others, health care today is a race against the clock. Celebrating a killer won’t extend my life or anyone else’s, but enacting common-sense legislative reforms almost certainly will. The author is the former Communications Director for the New Jersey Senate Republican Office. He served the Legislature for more than 22 years prior to his diagnosis with Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com . Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion . Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook .CNBC Daily Open: U.S. inflation edged up but investors aren't fazed