Charles Shoopman

[Morgan J. Freeman @mjfree]

🚨 ANTHEM HAS DECIDED IT’S MY DOCTOR AGAIN

Earlier this year, @AnthemBCBS denied an MRI ordered to determine whether my CANCER HAD SPREAD, calling it “not medically necessary.”

I publicly called them out. The post went viral.

Anthem suddenly contacted me, apologized—and approved the scan.

Now they’re doing it again.

In August, I severely injured my left foot. I’ve been in acute pain ever since and am walking around Brooklyn in a giant medical boot.

After two weeks of fighting just to get access to an in-network podiatrist, I finally saw a specialist. She examined me, ordered an X-ray, saw a hairline fracture and damage around the Achilles/heel area, and ordered an MRI so she can determine exactly what I injured and how to treat it.

My podiatrist says the MRI is medically necessary and needs to happen ASAP.

Anthem denied it. “Not medically necessary.”

Let me make sure I understand this.

The specialist who actually examined my foot, reviewed my X-ray and is responsible for treating me says she needs an MRI.

Anthem — the insurance company that has to PAY for the MRI — says she doesn’t.

Apparently Anthem is my podiatrist now.

My MRI is scheduled for Tuesday, October 20 at 5 PM. Instead of simply getting the medical care my doctor ordered, I am now spending my time calling the provider, the imaging center and Anthem’s appeals department trying to persuade an insurance company to let my doctor practice medicine.

And yes, there is an appeal process.
There is always an appeal process.

Because apparently being injured isn’t enough. You also need a second job as your own insurance claims attorney.

Here is what makes me angriest:

If Anthem refuses to approve the scan, I can pay for it myself.

Millions of Americans cannot.

What happens when someone living paycheck to paycheck is told the MRI their doctor ordered isn’t “medically necessary”?

What happens when it isn’t a foot?
What happens when it’s cancer?

What happens when the patient simply gives up because they don’t have the money, time, energy or platform to fight a massive insurance company?

I have already learned what happens when you publicly embarrass Anthem.

A scan that wasn’t “medically necessary” suddenly became medically necessary.

Nothing about my condition changed.

The public attention did.

Access to healthcare should not depend on your ability to make an insurance company uncomfortable on social media.

My doctor ordered the MRI.
Anthem denied it.
The scan is Tuesday at 5 PM.
Let’s see who blinks.

And if you’ve had an insurance company deny care your doctor said you needed, tell me your story.

I have a feeling there are a lot of us.

[Captain Mark Kelly @CaptMarkKelly]

Any single individual having this amount of influence in our elections does not lead to a healthy democracy. It doesn’t matter if they are supporting Democrats or Republicans. We need a serious effort at campaign finance reform and have to overturn the Citizens United decision.

[Houston Stressans @TexansCommenter]

Hands down one of the best exchanges between reporters and an NFL head coach I’ve ever seen, featuring Titans HC Robert Saleh and the local media.

What started as a simple question about the complexities of Saleh’s zone defense and why there might be some early growing pains turned into nearly seven minutes of incredible insight.

Saleh explains why the system takes time to learn but can eventually produce top-five defenses. He breaks down how players learn to attack offenses by understanding what they’re trying to do to them, rather than simply dropping to a spot and defending grass.

He also dives into the evolution of his defensive philosophy, drawing from his experiences around Pete Carroll’s Cover 3/Legion of Boom system, Vic Fangio, Monte Kiffin and others. He discusses the key positions that make the system work, his overall philosophy on defense and so much more.

I’ve heard DeMeco Ryans speak glowingly about Robert Saleh, how brilliant he is and how instrumental he was in DeMeco’s development as a coach. But I don’t think I fully appreciated what he meant until watching this.

Just an incredibly bright defensive mind.

And what makes this especially fascinating from a Texans perspective is that DeMeco is essentially building and running a variation of that same defensive philosophy, with some of his own wrinkles.

It’s particularly relevant right now given Houston’s struggles with defensive communication and executing its coverage rules. Saleh provides some excellent perspective on why these systems can be so difficult to master, how players eventually develop a deeper understanding of what offenses are attacking, and why that understanding allows them to play faster and more aggressively.

Must watch.

[Mike Pence @Mike_Pence]

President Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Russian fuel amidst Putin’s ongoing and brutal attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine makes no sense and is a betrayal of the legacy and leadership of the late Senator Lindsey Graham.

While Ukraine fights for its survival, Putin’s war machine continues to prosecute his terrorist war on civilian populations and innocent Ukrainians are dying every day.

Now, Instead of implementing the tough sanctions Lindsey Graham fought to his last breath to enact, President Trump has announced the United States is lifting sanctions on Russian energy, fueling the Putin’s war machine.

As I saw firsthand in Ukraine last month, Putin is losing this war. Ukraine has fought the Russian military to a standstill and reinvented warfare with drones taking the fight into the heart of Russia.

America should not be throwing a lifeline to Putin’s war machine. Now is the time to stand strong against Russian aggression as we did during the first Trump administration.

Putin doesn’t want peace. Putin wants Ukraine. I have no doubt that if Putin overruns Ukraine, it will only be a matter of time until Russia’s military crosses a border that our troops will have to deal with him.

America is the Leader of the Free World. For our National Security, for the security of our Allies in Europe including Ukraine, President Trump should rescind this deal immediately and return to the strong policies of our four years in the White House; impose harsh sanctions on any nation purchasing Russian energy and work with our allies to ensure Ukraine has the military support it needs to repel and defeat this Russian invasion once and for all. Slava Ukraini🇺🇸🇺🇦

[Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock @SenatorWarnock]

Pete Hegseth is twisting scripture again. He's trying to use the words of Isaiah to wrap up power and war in sacred clothes.

Pete Hegseth needs to study his scripture. Because Isaiah challenged government that marginalizes the poor, the widows, the orphans. He challenges corruption.

Faith, when it is authentic, stands on the margins, stands with the weak, and recognizes that all of us are children of the living God.

I'm standing with Isaiah.

[Seth Walder @SethWalder]

Top 10 players by pass rush wins this season.

-Jeffery Simmons, dear god
-Dallas Turner has arrived
-Boye Mafe being what Bengals need, keeping up PRWR with expanded playing time!
-I thought Bradley Chubb was washed and was critical of that signing. Looking like a bad take!

[Chuck Schumer @SenSchumer]

Why isn't Trump protecting us from ridiculous gas prices?

[Charles Shoopman @Ceshoop]

@UT_MTAS A wonderful lady and dedicated public servant. A friend who will be missed.🙏

[Phil Williams @PhilNvestigates]

Executions for Abortions? Deport Muslims? Christian Nationalism On the Ballot in Tennessee https://t.co/c2mtpjZVSI

[Phil Williams @PhilNvestigates]

ARE WE BEING SHUT OUT? Voters have a right to know what is happening behind the scenes with NewsChannel 5’s efforts to cover the GOP primary in the race for Tennessee governor.

We want to have a news crew at Marsha Blackburn’s election night headquarters in Knoxville to provide coverage if she becomes the Republican nominee. But Sen. Blackburn’s campaign has left NewsChannel 5 off of communications with the media regarding election night logistics. We have made repeated efforts to reach the campaign to make arrangements for getting inside the event, but those outreach efforts have been ignored.

Is this the price for trying to get the leading candidate for governor to answer questions about her positions on the issues? Is this the price for accurately reporting that her office faced a confidential ethics investigation last year for engaging in political activity at taxpayer expense? Is this the price for once again accurately reporting that she misled another journalist about the outcome of that ethics investigation?

In other words, is this the price for simply doing our jobs?

And, finally, if these are the games the Blackburn team plays when they are seeking the votes of Tennesseans, what will happen if she assumes control of the Governors office for four years?

We’ll let you know if they change their minds.

[Charles Shoopman @Ceshoop]

A reliable supply of energy is critical to each community, business and household. @TVAnews is actively engaged in exploring how to best meet this challenge today and in coming years.

https://t.co/HwVj8xzULe

[The Tennessee Holler @TheTNHoller]

⚡️ UNREAL — @NC5 has CANCELED the debate because @MarshaBlackburn 🐔chickened out and then @RepJohnRose did too 🤔

What an absolute joke this Republican primary for governor is. Marsha is taking Republican voters for granted, and Rose clearly has ZERO interest in winning.

[Phil Williams @PhilNvestigates]

Hate Comes to Main Street can now link a racist, antisemitic, misogynistic, Christian nationalist X account to another group of Young Republicans out of East Tennessee. (Link below.)

[Republicans against Trump @RpsAgainstTrump]

The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board tears apart Trump’s tariffs in a blistering editorial:

“The President is right that his tariffs are at work—in destroying U.S. jobs and raising prices. The U.S. has lost some 75,000 manufacturing jobs since January 2025, including 25,900 in motor vehicle and parts production...

there’s no question his tariffs are raising costs for U.S. manufacturers.…Mr. Trump and his advisers claim that foreigners pay his border taxes, but the evidence shows that U.S. companies, workers and consumers are picking up most of the tab.

The Anderson Economic Group estimates that auto tariffs on Canada and Mexico alone added about $1,600 to the cost of each car made in the U.S. last year. While auto makers absorbed some of the Trump tariff costs, they also passed on a large share to customers…Call it the Trump tax.”

[Make It In McMinn @MakeItInMcMinn]

Are you ready to enter the workforce or change careers? Attend the McMinn County Job Fair on Thursday, August 13, to meet local employers. Learn more about this free event and how to get the most out of it. https://t.co/ZJBejBq0xK #McMinnTN

[Charles Shoopman @Ceshoop]

From the former VEEP

[Mike Pence @Mike_Pence]

“The President is right that his tariffs are at work—in destroying U.S. jobs and raising prices. The U.S. has lost some 75,000 manufacturing jobs since January 2025, including 25,900 in motor vehicle and parts production.”@WSJ https://t.co/QVLG6tlJkV

[Mike Pence @Mike_Pence]

“The President is right that his tariffs are at work—in destroying U.S. jobs and raising prices. The U.S. has lost some 75,000 manufacturing jobs since January 2025, including 25,900 in motor vehicle and parts production.”@WSJ https://t.co/QVLG6tlJkV

[Senator Alex Padilla @SenAlexPadilla]

As the proud son of immigrants, the Supreme Court’s ruling on birthright citizenship is personal to me. 

The 14th Amendment is clear: every kid born here is a citizen who deserves a shot at the American dream.

[The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center @TheKingCenter]

Today marks the 62nd Anniversary of the signing of the #CivilRightsActof1964. Here, President #LBJ signs the act as #MLK and legislators look on. The act:

• Barred unequal application of voter registration requirements.

• Outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion or national origin in hotels, motels, restaurants, theaters, and all other public accommodations engaged in interstate commerce.

• Prohibited state and municipal governments from denying access to public facilities on grounds of race, color, religion or national origin.

• Prevents discrimination by government agencies that receive federal funds.

#TheKingCenter #HistoryMattersToToday