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Medical Price Roulette
Man relieved of $1.7 mllion debt relief
An update on the story of Alexis Hernandez, who fought to survive after an explosion only to be hit with a $1.7 million medical debt for his treatment at a burn center in Brooke Army Medical center. While his debt was finally waived after the story and urgings of legislators, others with similar stories still face their huge medical bills. Anna Werner reports
COVID long-haulers may face financial hurdles
Some long-haulers suffering from long-term coronavirus symptoms are now facing financial challenges as well. Anna Werner spoke with several people who faced challenges getting disability and health care coverage.
Some Cologuard users hit with unexpected high bills after cancer test
"I am mad because I pay so much every month for this insurance," on Cologuard user told CBS News. "I just feel like I'm really getting raked over."
Man billed $1.7 million by government for life-saving burn treatment
"I never expected, never in my life to live through something like this," Alexis Hernandez told CBS News' Anna Werner.
Company pauses plan to send 9,000 back to office after pushback
Epic Systems, a medical records software company, "is going to have to adhere by the same rules as everyone else," a local official said.
COVID-19 tests should be free, but these people still got big bills
People returning to their jobs could wind up having to pay for COVID-19 tests, experts warn.
His coronavirus test wasn't processed, but he got billed $9,000
Congress passed a law making coronavirus tests free, but all costs may not be covered by all insurers.
Alabama couple struggling after hospital sues over medical debt
KC and Daryl Roberts were paying what they could each month toward the more than $30,000 hospital bill.
Woman fighting with insurance for follow-up breast cancer tests
Mammograms can save lives, but in some cases, insurance companies are refusing to cover follow-up tests ordered by doctors.
Women shocked by "hidden" cost of mammograms
Health insurance covers mammograms every one to two years, but many women often need secondary tests that aren't covered
Man drives five hours for surgery insurance won't cover
Around the country, middle-class Americans with high-deductible insurance plans are heading to dozens of cash-based surgery centers
Regulators want to change law after CBS News report
"After hearing about — and resolving — a recent issue, we know that if it could happen to one consumer, it could happen to others"
Even with insurance, woman hit with $40,000 in medical bills
When Molly McKenna went to a clinic in agonizing pain, doctors told her it was an emergency. Only later did she learn much of her treatment was out-of-network
How to find out health care costs in advance
How much will that cost? Why did that cost so much? Always ask. Take notes, take names, take numbers
Man hit with $650,000 in medical bills finally gets relief
Frank Esposito was hit with $650,000 in medical bills after his insurance company said his surgery didn't qualify as an emergency
Medical bills jump from $220 to $4,000 a month – for treatment her life depends on
"I was like, how is this even possible?" one patient said of the unpredictable charges
She needed two rounds of ultrasound exams. Why did one cost 10 times more?
Medical prices vary greatly, even within the same city. "It's either unethical or dishonest," said one patient hit with a surprise bill
Ways to save on health care costs
ClearHealthCosts offers some practical tips to help you beat back your health care costs
How to read a medical bill or explanation of benefits
An insurance company's "explanation of benefits" often confuses matters more
Back surgery saved him from paralysis. Then the bills arrived: over $650,000
Frank Esposito, a tool and die maker from Long Island, New York, drained $49,000 from his retirement account and still owes over $220,000
Appealing a claim denial, or how to turn "no" into "yes"
If your insurance company denied a treatment or a medication in advance, and you want help, here's where to start
10 steps for appealing a claim or bill
So you got a huge bill, and you're sure there's been a mistake. Here's a step-by-step course of action
CBS News investigates lack of transparency in health care prices
"Nothing about the United States' health care system really makes sense," one doctor said
Health
Baby formula supplies dwindle amid widening shortage
FDA working to boost formula supplies, with more than half of popular products out of stock in some U.S. states.
Omicron surge adds complications to U.S. economy
The spread of the Omicron variant is causing an additional complication to the U.S. economy, which is already struggling with high inflation and a supply chain crisis. And data shows nearly 9 million Americans were out of work in January because they were caring for someone with COVID-19 or being ill with the virus themselves. Joshua Hausman, associate professor of public policy and economics at the University Of Michigan and research associate at the National Bureau Of Economic Research, joins CBSN's Lana Zak with more.
FDA works to approve vaccines for kids under 5
The White House is now working to provide Americans with free N95 masks and at-home COVID-19 test kits. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration is reviewing the vaccines for kids under the age of 5. Emergency medicine physician Dr. Owais Durrani joins CBSN's Lana Zak to discuss the latest efforts to combat the virus.
Kids' COVID-19 hospitalizations on the rise
COVID-19 hospitalizations for children are climbing, with an average of more than 900 kids admitted a day. CBS News' Michael George reports, then Dr. Gigi Chawla, chief of pediatrics at Children's Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota, joins CBSN to discuss the latest.
COVID-19 infections rising in kids
CBS News correspondent Carter Evans reports on a rise in pediatric COVID-19 cases in communities like Kansas City, Missouri. Then Dr. Bob Lahita, director of the Institute for Autoimmune and Rheumatic Diseases at St. Joseph Health and a professor of medicine at New York Medical College, joins CBSN to discuss the latest on COVID-19.
COVID vaccines don't affect fertility, study finds
Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 does not reduce the chances of getting pregnant, new research shows. Meanwhile, as the Omicron variant continues to strain hospitals, military troops are deploying to help. CBS News' Bradley Blackburn has more on the pandemic response.
Omicron batters states with low vaccination rates
Thursday marks two years since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in the U.S. CBS News' Bradley Blackburn has more on how the virus is impacting states with low vaccination rates, and the battle over masks in schools. Then, emergency medicine physician Dr. Anand Swaminathan joins CBSN's Lana Zak to discuss the latest.
U.S. debuts site for free at-home COVID tests
Some hospitals are overwhelmed, facing an influx of COVID-19 patients. Meanwhile, Pfizer says that its oral pill is showing efficacy against Omicron in lab tests. Dr. Jen Caudle joins CBSN to break down some of the latest coronavirus headlines.
Omicron continues to overwhelm U.S. hospitals
The Biden administration is planning to give out 400 million free N95 masks to Americans in the coming weeks as the coronavirus surge tightens its grip on hospitals in hard-hit areas of the country. CBS News correspondent Carter Evans reports from Missouri, where COVID-19 hospitalizations are rising among the unvaccinated. Then, Dr. Payal Patel, an infectious disease physician at the University of Michigan Medical School, joins CBSN's Lana Zak to discuss the latest.
North Carolina hospitals overwhelmed
COVID-19 infections are continuing to surge in parts of the U.S. In North Carolina, recent data shows one in three people tested positive for the virus. And some local hospitals are struggling to keep up. CBS News national correspondent Manuel Bojorquez reports from Charlotte.
U.S.
More U.S.
Funding cuts for fentanyl test strips raise concerns: "It doesn't make sense"
Test strips cost about $1 each and can be used to check drugs for dangerous contaminants, including fentanyl and xylazine.
Senate rejects 6th Iran war powers resolution ahead of 60-day deadline
The Senate rejected Democrats' sixth attempt to limit President Trump's authority to wage war on Iran.
Spotify's new badge identifies human artists as AI music floods include
As AI-generated music spreads, Spotify says it wants to help users "trust the authenticity" of what they're listening to.
Louisiana suspends House primaries for May 16 elections
Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry said Thursday that the state will suspend its May 16 House primaries in the wake of the Supreme Court striking down the state's Congressional map.
Thermos recalls 8.2 million containers after stoppers caused vision loss
The Thermos Stainless King Food Jars and Thermos Sportsman Food & Beverage Bottles were sold at Walmart, Target and Amazon.com.
MoneyWatch
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Spotify's new badge identifies human artists as AI music floods include
As AI-generated music spreads, Spotify says it wants to help users "trust the authenticity" of what they're listening to.
Thermos recalls 8.2 million containers after stoppers caused vision loss
The Thermos Stainless King Food Jars and Thermos Sportsman Food & Beverage Bottles were sold at Walmart, Target and Amazon.com.
Buying a computer? AI is making it more expensive.
A memory chip shortage is driving up computer prices for consumers, reversing a decades-long drop in hardware costs.
GDP rose at 2% annual rate in first quarter as U.S. economy rebounds
The AI boom propped up U.S. economic growth in the first quarter, but inflation due to the Iran war is casting a cloud.
Oil prices hit wartime peak, with Brent crude touching $126 a barrel
Brent crude surged past $126 a barrel early Thursday, while U.S. gasoline prices jumped to $4.30 a gallon.
Politics
More Politics
What states could try to redistrict and add more GOP seats
The Supreme Court's ruling on Wednesday about Louisiana's congressional map could have implications for several states as it narrowed the section of the Voting Rights Act about majority-minority districts.
Iran war's true cost closer to $50 billion, not $25 billion, U.S. officials say
A Pentagon official publicly placed the Department of Defense's cost for Operation Epic Fury at $25 billion.
Funding cuts for fentanyl test strips raise concerns: "It doesn't make sense"
Test strips cost about $1 each and can be used to check drugs for dangerous contaminants, including fentanyl and xylazine.
Congress passes another short-term FISA extension, hours before deadline
The House and Senate on Thursday passed an extension of a key surveillance authority that allows U.S. intelligence agencies to spy on foreigners without a warrant, the latest in a back-and-forth over the expiring program.
Senate rejects 6th Iran war powers resolution ahead of 60-day deadline
The Senate rejected Democrats' sixth attempt to limit President Trump's authority to wage war on Iran.
HealthWatch
More HealthWatch
Funding cuts for fentanyl test strips raise concerns: "It doesn't make sense"
Test strips cost about $1 each and can be used to check drugs for dangerous contaminants, including fentanyl and xylazine.
Trump drops Casey Means as surgeon general nominee, names Nicole Saphier
President Trump picked Dr. Nicole Saphier as his new nominee for surgeon general, and blamed Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy for Casey Mean's nomination stalling in the Senate.
RFK Jr.'s healthy food agenda puts hospitals on notice about patients' meals
The backlash was immediate after the Trump administration served notice that hospitals and nursing homes should limit sugary drinks and dietary supplements in favor of what HHS terms "real food."
Beyond crisis lines: How broader suicide prevention helps people in need
A new approach to suicide prevention shifts the focus from stopping harm in moments of crisis to upstream policies that give people reasons to live.
Big companies position themselves for payday from $50B federal rural health fund
A $50 billion federal fund is supposed to modernize rural healthcare. But community clinics and advocates fear that the contractors administering the money for states will bite off a big chunk before it reaches patients.
World
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U.K. raises terrorism threat level to "severe" after stabbing attack
The U.K. has raised its national threat level from "substantial" to "severe," citing the increasing threat of Islamist and extreme right-wing terrorism in the country.
Jewish Londoners describe "utter horror" and living in fear after latest attack
"We've been warning about this for a long time," one local resident told CBS News. "It's like a tsunami — you see the smaller waves before the big one hits."
Tina Brown: King showed U.S.-U.K. ties are "bigger than current politics"
CBS News contributor Tina Brown said King Charles' address to Congress during his visit to the U.S. showed "the meaning of monarchy."
Exclusive
Fire aboard Navy destroyer USS Higgins, officials say
One of the officials told CBS News that the fire knocked out power and propulsion on the guided-missile destroyer, a mainstay of the Navy's forward presence in Asia.
Mexico wants evidence to back up U.S. drug charges against officials
The U.S. Justice Department accused Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha Moya and nine other officials of working with the notorious Sinaloa cartel.
Entertainment
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Entertainment
A look at Spencer Pratt's mayoral campaign
Spencer Pratt, who starred in the mid-2000s reality TV show "The Hills," released a new ad in his campaign for Los Angeles mayor that's getting attention online. CBS News political director Fin Gómez joins with analysis.
Stars preview "Devil Wears Prada 2"
Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci are reprising their iconic roles for "The Devil Wears Prada 2" 20 years after the original film was released. The stars speak to "CBS Mornings" co-host Gayle King and give an inside look at the movie.
Eliminated survivor contestant on new twist
(Warning: Spoilers ahead!) The fifth member of the "Survivor 50" jury, who was eliminated during Wednesday's episode, talks about being voted off and a huge twist in the game.
David Allan Coe, singer who wrote "Take This Job and Shove It," dies at 86
David Allan Coe also had hits with "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" and "The Ride" among others.
New details in case against singer D4vd
Musician D4vd was in a Los Angeles court on Wednesday as prosecutors laid out a timeline and highlighted new details in their case against him in the murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The singer has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Warning, the details in this story are disturbing.
Technology
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Technology
Elon Musk cross-examined in OpenAI trial
Elon Musk was cross-examined in his lawsuit against OpenAI on Thursday. In testimony on Wednesday, he said he was "a fool" for funding OpenAI. He is accusing OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, of betraying him and the public by abandoning its core mission as it transitioned from a nonprofit to a for-profit company. WIRED senior writer Maxwell Zeff joins CBS News to discuss.
Spotify's new badge identifies human artists as AI music floods include
As AI-generated music spreads, Spotify says it wants to help users "trust the authenticity" of what they're listening to.
How AI powered robots are helping small farms
From labor shortages to environmental impacts, farmers are looking to AI to help revolutionize the agriculture industry. One California startup, Farm-ng, is tapping into the power of AI and robotics to perform a wide range of tasks, including seeding, weeding and harvesting.
Buying a computer? AI is making it more expensive.
A memory chip shortage is driving up computer prices for consumers, reversing a decades-long drop in hardware costs.
Tech companies post earnings amid bubble concerns
Four of the biggest tech companies reported earnings after the closing bell on Wednesday. Adam Levine, senior tech writer for Barron's, joins CBS News to discuss.
Science
More Science
Trump administration fires board overseeing National Science Foundation
The Trump administration has fired all 22 current members of an independent board that oversees the National Science Foundation, one dismissed member says.
AI used to reveal face of victim fleeing Mount Vesuvius eruption
Archaeologists found the victim holding a terracotta mortar, which they interpret as an improvised attempt to shield his head.
In a first, endangered orangutan seen using canopy bridge to cross road
Rapid development has been shrinking the jungle habitat of the critically endangered species, and fatal conflicts with people have been increasing.
Saving the Venus fly trap
The carnivorous Venus fly trap is native to the Carolinas, but its population is dwindling due to loss of habitat. Correspondent Seth Doane talks with botanist Julie Moore, who has spent much of her life helping to save these remarkable plants; and with Damon Waitt, director of the North Carolina Botanical Garden, who discusses the unusual traits of a species that Charles Darwin called the most interesting plant in the world.
From 1990: NASA launches Hubble Telescope
On April 24, 1990, NASA launched the Hubble Space Telescope from the Space Shuttle Discovery after seven years of delays. Watch CBS News' coverage from that day.
Crime
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Crime
Cole Allen to remain in jail ahead of trial
Cole Allen, the suspect linked to the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, has agreed to remain jailed ahead of his trial. CBS News' Anna Schecter and Melissa Quinn report.
Mexico wants evidence to back up U.S. drug charges against officials
The U.S. Justice Department accused Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha Moya and nine other officials of working with the notorious Sinaloa cartel.
Officials release apparent Cole Allen photos
Cole Allen apparently took a selfie while armed, minutes before the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting in Washington, D.C., on Saturday night. CBS News' Katrina Kaufman and Sam Vinograd have more.
New memo detail Cole Allen's movements
A memorandum filed in federal court on Wednesday includes details about Cole Allen's movements before his encounter with U.S. Secret Service officers at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday. CBS News' Anna Schecter reports.
New Orleans sheriff indicted after investigation into escape of 10 inmates
Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson was indicted on 30 felony counts after a probe into one of the largest jailbreaks in U.S. history, which occurred under her watch.
Space
More Space
SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy rocket carrying powerful satellite
SpaceX's most powerful operational rocket boosted a high-speed ViaSat internet data relay satellite into space to complete a globe-spanning constellation.
Mars rover carries out chemistry experiment never done beyond Earth
"This experiment's never been run before on another world," said Amy Williams, an astrobiologist working on the Curiosity mission.
Blue Origin New Glenn rocket puts satellite payload into wrong orbit
The launching appeared to go off without a hitch, but a problem prevented the rocket's upper stage from putting its payload into the correct orbit.
Artemis II crew on historic moon mission and what it means for Earth
"We are carrying back everything we learned, not only about where we went but ourselves," mission specialist Christina Koch told "CBS Evening News" anchor Tony Dokoupil.
Artemis II astronauts still awed by moonshot experience: "It was otherworldly"
The four Artemis II astronauts struggled to describe the view and overall experience of flying around the moon's far side and witnessing a solar eclipse in deep space.
Latest Galleries
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Notable Deaths in 2026
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Evidence in the Barbara Kendhammer case
Does the evidence show a cover-up, or was Todd Kendhammer wrongfully convicted for the murder of his wife?
The life & near death of prizefighter Christy Salters-Martin
Christy Salters-Martin dominated in the boxing ring but faced her toughest challenger at home.
Timeline: The disappearance of George Smith
Family seeks answers in death of newlywed who disappeared in 2005 while on Mediterranean honeymoon cruise.
Who is Alix Tichelman?
Meet the tattooed beauty charged in the death of Google executive Forrest Hayes.
Latest CBS News Videos
More Latest CBS News Videos
Latest CBS News Videos
Texas mother freed after weeks in ICE detention
A single mother of four is now free after ICE held her in a Texas immigration detention center for more than a month. CBS News' Shanelle Kaul has the latest.
What could come next in U.S. war with Iran
American drivers are paying $1.32 more per gallon than they did before the Iran war. Hopes of a quick end continue to fade as U.S. and Iranian leaders remain defiant. CBS News political reporter Zak Hudak has more on what could come next.
Walkinshaw previews Bondi Epstein deposition
Pam Bondi is set to testify late May on the Justice Department's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files in a closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee. Democratic Rep. James Walkinshaw of Virginia joins "The Takeout" to discuss what he wants to hear from the former attorney general.
Slotkin, Hegseth clash at Senate hearing
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shot back at Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin when she asked whether he would carry out President Trump's order to seize ballots and voting machines during the 2026 midterm elections if the president directed him to.
How the DHS shutdown started, and how it ended
The Department of Homeland Security funding shutdown ended on Thursday after 76 days. CBS News congressional correspondent Nikole Killion has the details.