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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.
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A Chinese community in New York City reacts to the Trump-Xi Beijing summit
There has been palpable excitement about President Trump's state visit to China in the Queens neighborhood of Flushing, home to one of the largest Asian populations in the U.S.
Supreme Court upholds mail access to abortion pill mifepristone for now
The Supreme Court has maintained mail access to the abortion pill mifepristone, setting aside for now a lower court order that blocked abortion providers from prescribing the widely used drug through telehealth and shipping it to patients.
Trucking broker can face lawsuit over fatal crash, Supreme Court rules
A CBS News investigation showed the broker had worked with dangerous "chameleon carriers," thousands of which evade federal safety enforcement by reincarnating under new names.
Trump Mobile says its T1 mobile phone to ship this week
Trump Mobile's $499 gold-toned phone has faced delays since it was unveiled in June 2025.
Why are so many U.S. CEOs in China with Trump, and what do they want?
More than a dozen American CEOs are accompanying President Trump on his trip to China. That's not unusual.
MoneyWatch
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Trump Mobile says its T1 mobile phone to ship this week
Trump Mobile's $499 gold-toned phone has faced delays since it was unveiled in June 2025.
Why are so many U.S. CEOs in China with Trump, and what do they want?
More than a dozen American CEOs are accompanying President Trump on his trip to China. That's not unusual.
Jury awards $49.5 million to Boeing 737 MAX crash victim's family
A jury in Chicago awarded $49.5 million in damages Wednesday to the family of a 24-year-old American who perished in a 2019 Boeing 737 MAX crash.
Rare blue-green diamond sells for record price at auction
The 5.5-carat "Ocean Dream" diamond was found in Central Africa in the 1990s.
Workers are getting paid to teach AI how to do their jobs
AI companies are recruiting a wide range of temp workers, from writers to wine enthusiasts, for hourly-paid gigs to help train their language models.
Politics
More Politics
A Chinese community in New York City reacts to the Trump-Xi Beijing summit
There has been palpable excitement about President Trump's state visit to China in the Queens neighborhood of Flushing, home to one of the largest Asian populations in the U.S.
Supreme Court upholds mail access to abortion pill mifepristone for now
The Supreme Court has maintained mail access to the abortion pill mifepristone, setting aside for now a lower court order that blocked abortion providers from prescribing the widely used drug through telehealth and shipping it to patients.
FBI offers reward for info on Air Force officer charged with spying for Iran
The FBI said Thursday that it's still trying to locate Monica Witt, who is accused of defecting to Iran in 2013 and revealing highly classified U.S. intelligence.
Exclusive
Will Trump ask Putin to bring these Americans home?
Anastasia Antonov believes that her father, Aleksandr, was arrested by the Russian government last year because he is an American citizen. Now, she is appealing to President Trump to push Vladimir Putin's government to free her father.
House vote on Iran war powers resolution fails for third time
The vote on a Democratic resolution to rein in Mr. Trump's authority to strike Iran was 212-212, falling just short of a majority.
HealthWatch
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Sponsored
Activities that challenge your mind may help maintain brain health
Challenging your mind, through games and learning new skills, may help reduce your risk of dementia, according to the Alzheimer's Association. (Sponsored by the Alzheimer's Association.)
Trump demands Medicaid data for deportation. Some states go further.
Several states have required their health agencies to take on another job: verifying immigration status among Medicaid recipients and reporting them to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
No Americans showing hantavirus symptoms
Jake Rosmarin is one of the 16 Americans at the University of Nebraska Medical Center being monitored for signs of hantavirus. Ian Lee spoke with him and has more details.
AI is fabricating citations in biomedical studies, researchers find
"Your doctor could be making decisions around treatment based on studies that never existed," one expert said.
New Yorker describes hantavirus quarantine experience after cruise ship outbreak
A New York native is among 16 American passengers who are quarantining in Nebraska after being on the cruise ship that is at the center of the deadly hantavirus outbreak.
World
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A Chinese community in New York City reacts to the Trump-Xi Beijing summit
There has been palpable excitement about President Trump's state visit to China in the Queens neighborhood of Flushing, home to one of the largest Asian populations in the U.S.
FBI offers reward for info on Air Force officer charged with spying for Iran
The FBI said Thursday that it's still trying to locate Monica Witt, who is accused of defecting to Iran in 2013 and revealing highly classified U.S. intelligence.
Exclusive
Will Trump ask Putin to bring these Americans home?
Anastasia Antonov believes that her father, Aleksandr, was arrested by the Russian government last year because he is an American citizen. Now, she is appealing to President Trump to push Vladimir Putin's government to free her father.
House vote on Iran war powers resolution fails for third time
The vote on a Democratic resolution to rein in Mr. Trump's authority to strike Iran was 212-212, falling just short of a majority.
Cuba considers U.S. offer of $100 million in aid amid power grid collapse
Cuba's national energy grid has suffered a major failure, cutting power to the island's eastern provinces.
Entertainment
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Entertainment
From the archives: Outspoken film critic Rex Reed
Film critic Rex Reed, whose clever and barbed opinions about movies – and movie stars – made him a fixture for decades in print and on television, died on May 12, 2026 at age 87. In this Feb. 4, 2018 "Sunday Morning" profile, Reed talked with Mo Rocca about how he came to live the life of an A-Lister himself. He also dispensed his unvarnished opinions about that year's best picture Oscar-nominees.
"Survivor" contestants on double elimination
(Spoilers ahead) "CBS Mornings" reveals the castaways voted off during Wednesday's episode of "Survivor 50" in another double elimination. They discuss being part of the franchise and their legacies in the game.
National Recording Registry adds Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Ray Charles, more
The Library of Congress revealed this year's list of 25 recordings to be preserved for future generations on the National Recording Registry.
Troubling trend for touring musicians
Major musicians from Post Malone to Meghan Trainor have recently struggled to sell out stadiums and arenas for their tours. It's a troubling trend being called "blue dot fever" and has led to entertainers canceling some or all of their shows. Ash-har Quraishi reports.
Geena Davis talks new series "The Boroughs"
Actor Geena Davis talks about starring in the new series "The Boroughs," if there are parallels between herself and the character she plays, and why she's drawn to supernatural projects. She also addresses representation in the entertainment industry.
Technology
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Technology
How the Trump-Xi summit could impact AI race
President Trump's visit to Beijing comes as the U.S. and China compete for artificial intelligence supremacy. Matt Sheehan, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins with analysis.
Closing arguments held in OpenAI case
Lawyers presented closing arguments Thursday in the OpenAI trial pitting Elon Musk against its CEO, Sam Altman. CBS News legal contributor Jessica Levinson has more.
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.
Trump Mobile says its T1 mobile phone to ship this week
Trump Mobile's $499 gold-toned phone has faced delays since it was unveiled in June 2025.
Workers are getting paid to teach AI how to do their jobs
AI companies are recruiting a wide range of temp workers, from writers to wine enthusiasts, for hourly-paid gigs to help train their language models.
Science
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NASA spacecraft to fly past Mars on voyage to rare metal asteroid
NASA's Psyche spacecraft will slingshot past Mars on Friday, on its way toward a rare metal-rich asteroid.
Emperor penguins in focus as Antarctica talks start in Japan
Greater protections for endangered emperor penguins and how to manage growing tourism are topping the agenda at talks on Antarctica in Japan.
What's in the released UFO files?
The Pentagon released UFO documents on Friday, with President Trump telling the public to "have fun" deciding for itself what is going on. Carter Evans reports.
Trump: UFO files released for transparency
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said it's time for the American people see it for themselves, as the Pentagon started releasing previously classified documents related to UFOs and UAPs. CBS News Pentagon reporter Eleanor Watson has more.
"The Age of Disclosure" director on UFO files
The Pentagon on Friday released and declassified numerous files on UFOs, including eyewitness testimony, photos and reports. Government knowledge of non-human intelligent life was the subject of the documentary "The Age of Disclosure," released in February. Its director and producer, Dan Farah, joins CBS News to discuss.
Crime
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Former death row inmate granted bond after nearly being executed 3 times
An Oklahoma judge granted bond to former death row inmate Richard Glossip on Thursday, laying the groundwork for his first release from prison since 1997.
Software CEO convicted for running $1 billion Medicare fraud scheme
Brett Blackman was convicted on charges including healthcare and Medicare fraud, and faces decades in prison.
Huge twist in Alex Murdaugh case
Alex Murdaugh, the former South Carolina lawyer who was convicted of murder, will get a new trial and have his convictions overturned, the state's Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. CBS News' Eva Pilgrim reports.
Feds arrest tourist accused of hurling rock at endangered seal's head
The tourist sparked outrage after a witness recorded him chucking a coconut-sized rock at "Lani," a beloved Hawaiian monk seal off a Maui beach.
Videos show shots fired in Philippine Senate
Warning: Distressing video. Authorities in the Philippines tried to arrest a senator on Wednesday, resulting in a burst of gunfire in the Philippine Senate, according to an Associated Press journalist and other witnesses.
Space
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NASA spacecraft to fly past Mars on voyage to rare metal asteroid
NASA's Psyche spacecraft will slingshot past Mars on Friday, on its way toward a rare metal-rich asteroid.
UFO files reveal astronauts saw mysterious objects and lights in 1972
NASA's Apollo 17 crew reported seeing three mysterious dots and sparks that resembled fireworks, according to new files released by the Pentagon.
Pentagon begins releasing UFO files: "It's time the American people see"
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a statement that the documents "have long fueled justified speculation — and it's time the American people see it for themselves."
Mysterious world beyond Pluto may have atmosphere, study says
If confirmed, the rock would become just the second world past Neptune in our solar system to host an atmosphere.
Artemis crew surprises 5-year-old aspiring astronaut with special gift
The Artemis II team gained a new member, and the crew made sure their youngest teammate had the right stuff for 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
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Latest CBS News Videos
5/16: The Uplift
David Begnaud meets a man who has attended the Kentucky Derby for 79 years in a row – and his dying wish to make it there one last time.
Xi draws red line on Taiwan at Trump summit
During their bilateral meeting on Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned President Trump of "conflicts" if Taiwan is not "handled properly." CBS News foreign correspondent Anna Coren has the latest from Beijing.
How the Trump-Xi summit could impact AI race
President Trump's visit to Beijing comes as the U.S. and China compete for artificial intelligence supremacy. Matt Sheehan, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins with analysis.
Scoop heads to Canine Companions puppy college
CBS News 24/7 is saying goodbye to Scoop, a service dog in training for Canine Companions, as she heads to puppy college.
SCOTUS rules trucking broker can be sued
The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that a trucking broker at the center of a CBS News investigation can be sued following deadly crashes. CBS News chief investigative correspondent Jim Axelrod has the details.