COSTS

Apr 11 2026HEALTH

Surgery Costs in Ethiopia: A Big Financial Challenge

In many parts of the world, more than four billion people cannot get safe and affordable surgery. The hardest hit are countries that do not have a lot of money, especially those in the developing world. Ethiopia is one of these places. Most surgical care is found only in cities, and people usually p

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Apr 11 2026HEALTH

Do neck scans always catch hidden spine injuries?

When someone gets hurt in a bad fall or crash, doctors first check for neck injuries using a CT scan. This scan is fast and shows broken bones clearly. But sometimes, patients still feel pain even after a clean CT result. So hospitals often order an MRI next, hoping to find soft tissue damage that t

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Apr 10 2026POLITICS

Rising Security Costs Show the Changing Face of Political Campaigns

Campaigns now spend far more on safety than they did ten years ago. Federal groups handed over over $40 million just for security in 2024, a huge jump compared to past years. The money pays for bodyguards, secure venues, and even changes to homes like locks and cameras. Most of this was unthinkable

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Apr 08 2026HEALTH

Where your kids get the best healthcare might surprise you

A new study looks at how well each state supports children’s health, but the results aren’t always what you’d expect. Most kids have insurance, yet families still struggle with big bills—on average, parents pay around $6, 850 a year just to cover their children under work-based plans. That shows hav

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Apr 04 2026SPORTS

Cardinals Find Turf Home While Weather Hits Their Backyard

North Idaho College’s softball squad has been on a quest for a stable playing field, juggling venues from high‑school parks to the city’s own Memorial Field. This spring, a mix of mild temperatures and persistent rain forced the team to relocate their home games to an artificial turf field at the Ma

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Apr 04 2026POLITICS

Maine Hospitals Need Teamwork, Not Slower Payouts

The Bangor Daily News board has backed a bill that would slow how fast commercial insurers pay Maine hospitals. The trustees of St. Joseph Healthcare, who also run the hospital, say this plan could hurt an already weak system. Hospitals in Maine barely stay afloat. The state is 46th out of every U.

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Apr 03 2026BUSINESS

Farewell to a Waltham Favorite: The Federal’s Seven-Year Run Ends

Waltham’s dining scene just lost a staple after seven years. The Federal, a spot known for its seafood and steak, shut down recently citing steep costs that made staying open unsustainable. Opened in 2018, the restaurant called itself a seafood and chophouse, serving dishes like fresh oysters, crab

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Apr 02 2026POLITICS

Who Pays the Price for Iran?

A pair of new attack ads is putting pressure on two Republican lawmakers over their support for the recent military engagement in Iran. One ad targets a Wisconsin congressman who won by a narrow margin last cycle, while the other focuses on a Maine senator facing an uphill battle in her next electio

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Apr 01 2026OPINION

War Costs: Why the Numbers Keep Rising

The U. S. has a history of underestimating military expenses, and this pattern repeats in the current Middle East conflict. In 2002, officials predicted a $50 billion price tag for Iraq—yet the war cost taxpayers over $3 trillion. Now, a new campaign is launched with the same low estimate, raising d

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Apr 01 2026HEALTH

Health Care Costs Push People into Tough Choices

People are losing their ability to afford medicine, insurance and even food. A recent study shows that almost 80 % of those with marketplace plans now pay higher premiums or deductibles. Because of the loss of tax credits, many families are forced to pick between paying for health care and cov

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