Dr. Vivek Murthy, the US Surgeon General, has released a report warning that alcohol causes cancer.It is the third leading cause of preventable cancer in the US, after smoking and obesity, he said.The report follows a growing number of studies showing the potential harms of drinking alcohol.The US Surgeon General wants to see cancer warnings on wine, beer, and spirits.Alcohol is a leading cause of cancer, but less than half of Americans recognize it as a risk factor, Dr. Vivek Murthy said in an advisory published Friday.This is in contrast to the 89% of Americans who are aware of the links between smoking cigarettes and cancer, according to a 2019 survey of US adults aged 18 and older carried out by the American Institute for Cancer Research.Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the US, after tobacco and obesity.Research has found that drinking alcohol leads to an increased risk of seven cancers, including breast, colorectal, esophageal, liver, mouth, and throat and larynx, the advisory said.The risk increases the more a person drinks, and for certain cancers like breast, mouth, and throat, the risk can start to rise at one or fewer drinks a day, according to the advisory.Warning labels on alcoholic drinks haven't changed since the '80sMurthy recommended updating warnings on packaging to raise awareness of alcohol's link to cancer. "Health warning labels are well-established and effective approaches to increasing awareness of health hazards and fostering behavior change," the advisory said.Currently, health warning labels on alcoholic beverages mention general "health risks," as well as instructing pregnant women and those about to drive or operate machinery not to drink. They have not been changed since 1988, The New York Times reported. Ian Hamilton, an associate professor at the University of York's Department of Health Sciences, who researches drug use, policy, treatment, and prevalence, told Business Insider that there is a general lack of understanding of the role alcohol plays in several types of cancer. "Many people aren't aware of this, so having this clearly laid out and explained is a welcome development," he said.This story is developing. Please check back for updates.

I always thought I'd only have two kids.My oldest has significant medical needs, and I wanted her to have lots of siblings to help her.I know there will be times when I can't care for her, but her three siblings can step in.I always wanted children but never imagined having a big family. I assumed, wrongly, that I would have two happy and healthy kids.Kids who would keep me up at night worrying about mundane, average concerns like whether they ate enough vegetables as toddlers, stayed out too late as teenagers, or didn't call me often enough when they moved away.My job, I thought, was to launch my children into the world as independent adults.My first child has significant medical needsAll of that changed when my first daughter, Claire, was born.She came into the world quiet and struggling to breathe. From her first moments, she required intensive support to manage a myriad of complex health conditions. As the months wore on, Clarie did not progress along a typical timeline. She didn't crawl, sit up, or babble at the same time as other babies.With each milestone she missed, her future looked increasingly bleak. Instead of wondering where she might one day go to college, I worried that she would never be able to live on her own.As Claire grew, it became clear that she would always need help with basic tasks most people take for granted. She was unable to feed, dress, or bathe herself. Worrying about who would take care of her when her father and I were no longer around to care for her consumed me.She has a team to support herAs Claire got older, the amount of care she needed to get through each day was staggering. She has one-to-one aides at home and school and works with physical, occupational, and speech therapists almost daily. She sees several doctors a month.Claire needs help with every area of her life, from taking her medication to brushing her teeth. She can't walk steadily or speak. Claire is a joyful young woman who loves the same things a lot of teenagers enjoy: going to the movies, being near water, flipping through fashion magazines, and eating big bowls of ice cream.Yet, she requires a tremendous amount of support and attention to be able to live at home and be a part of our community. So many people are a part of making sure she stays healthy and can thrive, and I call them "Team Claire" for short.I wanted her to have an army of siblings on her sideAll of the support Claire has in place is hard-won. It is a struggle to ensure the delicate balance required to keep her healthy and happy stays in place. Resources for home care are scarce, specialists are hard to see, paperwork is crushing, and there is an ever-present threat that services will be cut.Managing Claire's care is a part-time job. It is rewarding and necessary but often time-consuming and frustrating. Claire's father and I, naturally, shoulder this responsibility and fill in the many gaps. But we are not immortal.When Claire was young and the amount of support she needed became apparent, I knew she would need a big family to help her when I could no longer. We first gave Claire a brother, one who still adores her. I know he will do everything he can for his big sister, but I didn't want him to have to shoulder this immense responsibility alone.Eventually, I had another daughter, a sister who was born to nurture. She wants to be a doctor when she grows up, a career aspiration borne in part from wanting to help other kids like Claire. However, as the weight of the responsibility I would eventually leave on their shoulders grew, I thought about adding another child to our family.I decided to have a fourth childAs years went by and I grew older, I knew the day I could no longer care for Claire would inevitably come sooner than I would like. I worried that the burden on Claire's two siblings, each with their own full lives and aspirations, might interfere with their ability to spread their wings and start their own families.I began thinking about whether it made sense to have a fourth child, someone else, to love and help care for Claire. Even though I knew having a baby would pull me in even more directions, eventually, I decided it was the right decision for Claire and for our family.That fourth child, now 10, has protected his sister from the start and is the perfect bookend to our family. While I don't know what the future holds, I am glad Claire has three siblings who adore her. I sleep better at night knowing that my four kids will always be a team and rally around their sister and each other.

The Mediterranean diet holds an eight-year streak of being the healthiest diet per doctors and dietitians.Along with similar diets like DASH, it's rich in whole, plant-based foods like legumes and veggies.Weight loss drugs have shaken up the diet industry, but healthy eating is still key for longevity.The Mediterranean diet has been named the healthiest way to eat for the eighth year in a row.Based on traditions in countries like Italy, Greece, and Turkey, the eating style swept the top spot in 12 categories (out of 21 total) for healthy eating in 2025, including Best Diet Overall, according to annual rankings from US News & World Report.The Mediterranean diet earned a 4.8 rating out of 5 in the rankings.It's rich in foods like whole grains, legumes, and leafy greens with fewer processed foods and refined sugars and a flexible approach to eating.Rounding out the top four, the DASH diet, flexitarian diet, and MIND diet offer a similarly relaxed approach to eating nutrient-dense whole foods. They also align with simple, affordable ways to eat for a longer life, research suggests.While it's not news that eating more veggies is good for us, the new insights offer a road map on using the latest research to find the diet that might work best for you and how to avoid pitfalls in the diet industry, even as popular meds like Ozempic have shaken up how we think about eating and weight loss.Healthy diets that are easy to followThe top diets for healthy eating focus on whole, unprocessed foods, typically plenty of plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, and grains, along with some seafood and lean proteins. They also don't follow a strict meal plan or rules, offering a lot of options and flexibility, although they discourage generally ultra-processed foods with a lot of added sugar, salt, and fat.These were the top picks from the experts, listed in order from highest-rated to fourth place overall:TheMediterranean diet is known for flavorful dishes full of herbs and olive oil, along with whole grains like farro, lots of legumes like chickpeas and beans, and fatty fish such as salmon and sardines. It's similar to eating habits in Blue Zones where people live longer, healthier lives on average.TheDASH dietTheFlexitarian dietTheMIND diet was developed with the help of Harvard researchers to incorporate elements of Mediterranean and DASH eating specifically for brain health. It focuses on incorporating more servings of berries, nuts, and whole grains to your diet while cutting back on red meat, fried food, and sweets.Diets to avoidWhile there was no single worst diet across all categories, short-term or quick-fix plans ranked lower along with more restrictive eating plans that eliminate many food options, as did plans with big claims not backed by strong scientificDiets that ranked low on the list were:The Body Reset diet is a 15-day plan from a celebrity trainer. It includes three phases, a lot of smoothies, and major calorie restriction.The Autoimmune Protocol diet is an elimination plan that involves avoiding foods that might cause irritation. However, it can be tough to follow because of the long list of foods to restrict, which includes cutting out tomatoes, beans, potatoes, grains, nuts, seeds, dairy, eggs, and caffeine.The SlimFast diet is a weight loss program based on meal-replacement shakes and bars, which can be expensive, restrictive, and difficult to maintain.The Optavia diet is a low-carbohydrate weight loss program based on pre-packaged foods, which may be helpful short-term but can be hard to follow over time since it relies on specific products and cuts out many foods.How to find the best diet for youTo compile the rankings, a panel of medical doctors, registered dietitians, and researchers evaluated 38 diets on factors like sustainability, nutritional completeness, and potential health benefits and risks.This year's report rated each diet from 0 (worst) to 5 (best) across a range of categories, from overall best diet to best diets for gut health or mental health, and for managing specific conditions such as menopause, inflammation, high cholesterol, and IBS.A key point is that none of the diets achieved a perfect score not even the Mediterranean diet.That's because personal details play a huge role in how well a diet can work, Gretel Schueller, managing editor of health at U.S. News, previously told Business Insider."There's no one-size-fits-all," she said. "You have to consider lifestyle and preferences."Factors to consider include:which grocery staples you can reliably access on your budgethow much time you have to cookwhich cooking skills you can realistically use on a regular basisfoods that you and your family enjoy eating"At the end of the day, it's about 'can I do this in the long term,'" Schueller said.

Were all inured to sensationalist headlines about some disaster or another on the horizon. So I dont blame anyone who was exhausted when they saw last month that dozens of scientists were warning in the journal Science that mirror bacteria could bring about a catastrophic ecosystem collapse and even mass extinction. After all, we already have looming threats like H5N1 to worry about, and more generally we live in an age that, as Adam Kirsch put it recently in The Atlantic, feels like apocalypse, constantly. The mirror bacteria news hit the same week we were told that a widely read study about how our black spatulas were killing us was really just the result of a math error. It can be hard to tell which concerns are deathly serious and which are just headlines that will be forgotten a month later.But having done a lot more reading about the mirror bacteria situation, Im here with bad news: Its real, and its really serious.RelatedHow AI could spark the next pandemicMore than 35 scientists, including leading researchers across half a dozen different fields, came together in a December technical report to argue that ongoing work on mirror bacteria could trigger a mass extinction. The catastrophe it warns about is plausible, if mind-bending. And its not one of those situations where the skeptics are coming from outside the field: Many of the leading scientists who worked to invent mirror life have now become convinced such work would be incredibly dangerous. In fact its one of the rare cases where experts have become more concerned as theyve learned more, instead of less so.But theres also good news: Now that we are aware of the risk, catastrophe shouldnt happen by accident. At this point, mirror life is mostly theoretical it would take decades of work to actually create it. So as scientists come to look more closely at the risks, they can bring about a stop to this work, with very little cost to other essential research. And with scientists from across many disciplines expressing their concern, theres a good chance that we can just agree, as a world, to do the right thing and just not go there. Which is ideally how we should be handling new existential risks.Mirror life, explainedThink about the letter R, and its mirror image, the letter . No matter how much you spin the letter R on a two-dimensional page, youll never get an . If you build a protein meant to link up to an R, a wont fit, and a molecule will turn out differently if its using an R or a as a backbone. This story was first featured in the Future Perfect newsletter.Sign up here to explore the big, complicated problems the world faces and the most efficient ways to solve them. Sent twice a week.Thats the core concept behind mirror life, though in three rather than two dimensions. The amino acids that compose the proteins that make up all life on Earth can form from atoms in two different mirrored ways, colloquially left- and right-handed forms. But while the molecules are around in both forms, all life on Earth builds proteins only out of left-handed amino acids (and most other biomolecules, like DNA, also come with a handedness thats why the spiral helix of DNA always goes one direction.)This poses a tantalizing scientific puzzle: Couldnt you, in principle, build mirror life life made out of the right-handed amino acids? It would be an enormous engineering project, involving work we dont yet know how to do. But in principle, it ought to be possible. We have already built mirror proteins, and mirror enzymes that can read mirror genes. What could possibly go wrong?The question is what would happen after you succeeded in building mirror life. At first it was assumed that mirror bacteria would be effectively harmless, because they cant digest most of the normal-handed molecules that make up all existing life. Sure, they could eat simple nutrients, which do not have the handedness property. But would that be enough to let them multiply and spread?Many scientists initially assumed that it wouldnt be, meaning that mirror life would be safely self-limiting, unable to spread too far because it would be unable to digest the rest of life, human beings very much included. But as they studied the possibility further, experts became worried that this wasnt true. Unlike previous discussions of mirror life, we also realized that generalist heterotroph mirror bacteria might find a range of nutrients in animal hosts and the environment and thus would not be intrinsically biocontained, the Science report found. So mirror bacteria would be able to find enough to eat after all. Even worse, existing life would struggle to eat them. That means that creating mirror bacteria could be kind of like introducing an invasive species to an ecosystem (in this case, the entire planet) where it doesnt have any predators. Without anything initially evolved to eat or counter it, it could probably spread rapidly. Invasive species can be very hard to eradicate, even if they dont reach very high populations. Mirror bacteria might well be like this: a new species of globally distributed environmental bacteria, alongside the multitude of existing ones.But how catastrophic would the introduction of this new invasive species be? Humans (and other animals and plants) are exposed to environmental bacteria all the time, and these arent usually an issue unless, for example, you have a damaged immune system. So a team of immunologists worked on the question of whether our immune system would respond appropriately to an invasion by mirror bacteria. Worryingly, they concluded that it probably would not. While some of our immune defenses function without any specific targeting of a particular pathogen, many of them only work by locking onto the invading pathogen which we wouldnt be able to do for mirror bacteria. And the scientists didnt just find that it might make humans sick. For the exact same reason, it might make everything else sick every animal, even plants might be vulnerable (though there would be substantial variation in exactly how susceptible any species would be).The result, according to the December report in Science, could be terrifying. We cannot rule out a scenario in which a mirror bacterium acts as an invasive species across many ecosystems, causing pervasive lethal infections in a substantial fraction of plant and animal species, including humans., the authors found, saying a plausible result was unprecedented and irreversible harm. It is hard to overstate how severe these risks could be, immunologist Ruslan Medzhitov, one of the co-authors of the technical report, warned in a statement sent to me. Living in an area contaminated with mirror bacteria could be similar to living with severe immunodeficiencies: Any exposure to contaminated dust or soil could be fatal.Were not going to do itTo be clear, there were plenty of good reasons to consider making mirror life. Its inherently incredibly cool, Kate Adamala, a synthetic biologist at the University of Minnesota, told the New York Times, of the effort to make mirror bacteria. If we made a mirror cell, we would have made a second tree of life. Indeed Adamala and three other scientific colleagues are the recipients of a 2019 grant in which they explained that they seek to design, construct, and safely deploy synthetic mirror cells. But as they looked into it more, through collaboration on the 299-page technical report, she and her colleagues became convinced that it just wasnt worth it: All four have now joined the call in Science for work to be halted. Were saying, Were not going to do it, Adamala told the Times.The US government, which funded Adamala and her colleagues work toward building mirror life, is also adapting in response to this warning. We appreciate the efforts of these scientists to identify and assess potential future risks of this type of synthetic organism, Advances in the life sciences and associated technologies now empower scientists in ways that were barely imaginable just a few decades ago, a spokesperson for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy told me. These advances have remarkable potential for benefit and, as these scientists have made clear, also the potential for causing significant harm. Given the potential risks, we will work with and across the global research community to avoid and mitigate risk while protecting the potential benefits of research in other applications of synthetic biology. The U.S. government is beginning a deliberative process to review scientific assessments on the implications of mirror life and, as appropriate, develop or revise relevant federal biosafety policy.For that reason, I think this can be read not as a doom-and-gloom headline to start your year on, but as a hopeful story. An enormous number of talented people across different relevant disciplines came together and tried to figure out if there was a problem. They figured out that there was, and changed their course. Its too early to declare victory, of course. But if its a story of a looming challenge, its also a story of people stepping up to it well before any catastrophe might ensue.Happy New Year!A version of this story originally appeared in the Future Perfect newsletter. Sign up here!Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

Your doctor orders blood work or requests you get a biopsy, or maybe your kid broke a bone and you need to rush to the emergency department. A few months later, a bill arrives in the mail with an astounding figure. Despite the federal No Surprises Act made into law in 2022 which prevents providers from saddling patients with huge bills for out-of-network services many Americans have felt the shock of a medical bill.About half of American adults report difficulties affording health care costs, according to KFF polling conducted in 2022, and about 41 percent carry some form of medical debt. A 2021 Census Bureau analysis found that about 14 million people owed more than $1,000 in medical debt, while 3 million Americans owed more than $10,000. KFF surveys also show that excessive medical debt disproportionately affects those who are uninsured, Black and Hispanic adults, and people with lower incomes.The expense of medical care in the US, paired with a lack of transparency around how much these services will cost and why, can add to the shock and terror that comes with a medical bill; one in four adults said they skipped or delayed medical care in the last 12 months because of the cost, according to the KFF survey. Moreover, a staggeringly high bill at the start of a new year, when health insurance deductibles reset, can add insult to injury. Because new deductibles are often higher than the previous years, you might not be prepared to shoulder more out-of-pocket costs.However, patients have tools and negotiating power to reduce these costs both before services are rendered and after they receive a bill. While many patients may resign themselves to paying the bill, there are a bevy of other cost-cutting options to exhaust first. You should never ever pay any medical bill right away, says Caitlin Donovan, the senior director of the Patient Advocate Foundation.Unfortunately, the responsibility is solely on the patient or their guardian to advocate for themselves; hospitals and medical providers will often not readily offer cost-reducing alternatives. And despite the No Surprises Acts relatively recent protections for emergency care, many people are unaware theyve been inappropriately billed, while some providers flout the legislations rules. Knowing the right questions to ask can help patients reduce or even avoid huge medical bills.What to ask while youre still at the hospital, doctors office, or pharmacyThere are questions you can ask providers and pharmacists before you get a test, procedure, or prescription filled to ensure youre not paying more than you need to. In emergency situations, some of these questions wont apply since there may not be time to shop around when it comes to lifesaving care. In non-emergency circumstances, the first thing a patient can do to avoid a large bill for something as simple as an office visit is to visit providers that are in-network with your insurance if you have it. Your insurance carriers website or app will have a search tool for in-network providers. Also check the list of accepted insurances on the physicians website. If youre still unsure if a doctor is in-network, call your insurance carrier and speak with a representative.A lot of the time when we see people with really big bills, says Casey Schwarz, the senior counsel for education and federal policy at the Medicare Rights Center, its because theyre trying to access something thats either not covered or out of network.These bargaining tactics require a significant amount of time and energy, and are made considerably more difficult when youre not feeling well or English isnt your first language. Under the Affordable Care Act, patients who speak limited English are entitled to a free qualified interpreter and translated medical documents. Health care providers must inform patients that they offer interpreting services. When booking an appointment, tell the scheduler you will need an interpreter during your visit.For non-emergency procedures and appointments at in-network physicians, here are some financial questions to ask before you leave the office.How much will this cost?Since 2021, federal law has required all hospitals to list pricing information online for services, such as blood work or X-rays, provided during inpatient admission and outpatient visits. These posted costs include the insurance prices and cash prices that is, to pay without using insurance which are often lower than insurance prices. However, studies found many hospitals did not list their prices, or if they did, the data was confusing and inconsistent. A review from the price transparency nonprofit PatientRightsAdvocate.org found that fewer than 20 percent of the countrys largest hospitals clearly listed all of their prices for the 300 most common services for every single insurance carrier.You should be able to access the price list on the hospitals website (which can be a tricky process in itself; the New York Times has some tips on how to parse the data) but if you cant, get in touch with the billing department to ask for the price. Make sure youre looking at a spreadsheet of costs and not using the estimator tool, which Cynthia Fisher, the founder and chairman of PatientRightsAdvocate.org, says produces inaccurate estimates.Everybody should know what is that discounted cash price, Fisher says. What is my insured rate? How does my insured rate compare to other insurance rates? And guess what? You have the right to not accept that insurance rate if its egregiously higher. In practice, this means informing the billing department that you do not want to use your insurance and will pay out of pocket.Beyond the listed prices within hospital systems, if you are uninsured or will probably pay cash, health care providers must provide you with a good faith estimate in writing before youre treated, says Dawn Greene, the advocate manager at medical bill advocate service Resolve. These estimates include the cost of the procedure and any associated costs, like lab tests or anesthesia for a surgery. Should your final bill total $400 or more over the estimate, you can file a dispute with the provider. Those disputes should start with a call to the billing department.For those with high-deductible insurance plans who are generally healthy and have historically never hit their deductible, it may be cheaper to pay cash, without using insurance, for a procedure or medication.Lets say that you have a serious medical issue, youre going to be taking a lot of expensive medicines all the time, and youre for sure going to hit your deductible. Its better to go through your insurance so you can hit your deductible sooner and then you dont have to pay for anything, says Carolyn McClanahan, founder of financial planning firm Life Planning Partners. But if youre a normally healthy person, and you just come down with something short term, then if you have a high-deductible plan, it is probably better to pay cash.Check online databases like Healthcare Bluebook and Fair Health Consumer, which provide fair price estimates for many kinds of office visits and procedures based on your location, to make sure youre being offered a fair price. The online tool Solv provides patients the costs for common procedures in their area if theyre not using insurance.Should the listed cost for your insurance carrier or the cash price be beyond what you can spend, ask to see the financial assistance or charity care policy. People dont realize how many of them actually qualify for financial assistance from hospitals, Donovan says. Each state or hospital will have their own eligibility requirements for financial assistance. In New Jersey, for example, patients are eligible for free care if they have a family income of up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. (The poverty guideline for a single person is $15,060 in 2024 and $31,200 for a family of four.) Even if you make more than that, you could still be eligible for a discounted rate.If youre still not comfortable with the price, you can research costs at other hospitals to find one that fits your budget. This can be time-consuming and frustrating, especially if youre sick. While Donovan is not a proponent of shopping for care, she says patients can save money on imaging costs by opting for X-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs, and CT scans at freestanding clinics outside of hospital systems. So if its not urgent, its worth looking for the cheapest facility. You can call and ask for their rates over the phone, Donovan says.How can I lower the cost of this medication?Your doctor probably wont know the exact cost of medication when theyre prescribing it especially when it comes to what your insurance will or wont cover but theyll know if there is a generic brand or even an over-the-counter medicine available that will undoubtedly be cheaper. You can even ask the pharmacist if there is a generic or OTC version of the drug they can give you instead. Sometimes [doctors] prescribe pain medicine thats actually equivalent to three Advil, 600 milligrams, Fisher says. Why pay for an expensive prescription when you probably have it at home in your medicine cabinet?Fisher recommends asking the pharmacist the price of the medication if you were to pay cash versus if it were to be covered through insurance. Often, the cash rate is much lower, she says. You can also ask the pharmacist if they have access to any discount cards or coupons from the drug manufacturer, Donovan says. Keep in mind that discount cards cannot be used with insurance.Platforms like GoodRx offer price comparisons for medications at pharmacies near you and provide coupons for discounted medications. You wont be able to use your insurance with GoodRx coupons. Mark Cubans platform Cost Plus Drugs lists discounted drug prices; your doctor will have to write the prescription to the companys pharmacy partner, which will then mail you the medication. Cost Plus Drugs accepts Capital Blue Cross, Rightway, and other select insurances. Again, paying cash for these discounted options may be considerably cheaper than going through insurance.Patients with Medicare are unable to use coupons from the manufacturer for drugs. However, many people are eligible for the Medicare Savings Program, which reduces drug costs down to a flat rate, says Schwarz, of the Medicare Rights Center. You can apply for the Medicare Savings Program through your state Medicare agency. There is an additional Extra Help program, which also reduces drug costs, that patients can enroll in through the Social Security Administration.If you were prescribed medication for an ongoing or extended period of time, ask your doctor at your annual checkup if the medication is still necessary, McClanahan says. Eliminating or lowering the dosage of a drug will also lower your expenses. However, you should never defy your doctors instructions to take name-brand medication or scale back on dosage in order to save money.Do I really need this test or procedure?Sometimes doctors will order a litany of tests in order to diagnose a potential issue. The costs for even routine blood work can add up, depending on the labs ordered. Tell your physician youre concerned about the cost of the tests, Donovan says, and ask something along the lines of, Im worried about finances. Are we getting a lot of value added for these tests? For example, Donovan was told she would need monthly ultrasounds during one of her pregnancies a considerable expense. I was like, That seems like low-value, high-cost care, she says. The physician quickly said the monthly ultrasounds werent necessary unless she experienced any complications.Heres the thing about providers, Donovan says, as soon as you sound like you know what youre talking about, all of a sudden theyre going to treat you like you know what youre talking about.McClanahan suggests inquiring about what exactly the doctor is hoping to see in the test. If they cant answer that question, do you really need that test? she says.Can we keep the conversation limited to what the billing department would consider a preventative visit?As a part of most health insurance plans, preventative services like annual checkups, immunizations, and common screenings are free. However, after reviewing a doctors notes from an appointment, some billing departments will categorize or code a free preventative visit as another type of appointment entirely, resulting in a bill. A doctor simply asking you how you feel emotionally can change the coding of a visit. So many people come to us with that very same problem, Fisher says.Fisher says patients should feel empowered to tell their doctor, This is my annual checkup. Lets keep our conversation within the bounds of that type of visit, while theyre in the exam room with their doctor.If youre being asked to pay while on the way out of the office, remind the person asking you for money that you were here for a preventative visit and to change the code on the visit. If you receive a bill in the mail weeks later, call the doctors billing department and explain the situation: The appointment was coded incorrectly and you should not be charged. You may need to call your insurance company as well.How to negotiate a medical billOpening a medical bill and seeing an astronomical number can come as a shock. After the procedure or appointment, patients must double-check the accuracy of billing departments and exhaust all other options to lower the bill before paying. Heres where to start and what to ask for.Can I see an itemized bill?Its estimated that about 60 percent of medical bills that are issued have errors, says Greene, of Resolve. Always ask to see an itemized bill to make sure youre being charged correctly. Were you double charged for something? Charged for a service you did not receive? You can also compare the costs on your bill with the hospitals posted prices to ensure youre not being overcharged.If they say a CT scan is $5,000 on their website and theyre charging you $6,000, then you know that theres an issue with the billing and you bring that to the hospitals attention, Greene says.If youre going through insurance, compare the bill with the explanation of benefits (EOB) you received from your insurance. The explanation of benefits outlines what costs your insurance will cover. Never pay any bill until you get that, Donovan says, and then you just compare that amount on the EOB to the amount youre being billed. If those amounts dont match ... you should start making phone calls. Theres no hard and fast rule on who to call first your insurance or the providers billing department but make sure youre bringing up the issue with both of these departments, Donovan says. Even if your insurance denies claims for medically necessary tests or procedures as ProPublica reporting found is common at Cigna you should appeal the rejection.Fisher recalls a patient who came to PatientRightsAdvocate.org to help dispute a $15,000 EpiPen charge from a hospital visit. Once the patient alerted the hospital of his insurance carrier, the price dropped to $4,900 still considerably higher than the $70 he would have spent at a pharmacy with a prescription. The patient referenced the hospitals price list and found the maximum the hospital could charge patients for an EpiPen was $600 without insurance, and $300 if he used his insurance. He wrote a letter to his insurer and the hospital showing that they way overcharged him, Fisher says. They both wrote back saying that there must have been a glitch in the system. The patients bill for the EpiPen was eliminated, Fisher says.If you feel like youve been erroneously charged after an emergency room visit and are hitting a wall with both the provider and the insurance company, reach out to the No Surprises Help desk by phone at 1-800-985-3059 to discuss the legislations protections. Referencing the fair market price listed at Healthcare Bluebook and Fair Health Consumer can also be a useful negotiating tool to lower your bill.Can I get on a payment plan?Hospitals are usually willing to work with patients to receive any amount of a bill, Donovan says, so you should negotiate a payment plan if the lump sum is too large after checking for any errors. Consider all of your other expenses before agreeing to a monthly payment amount. If the billing department employee youre speaking with isnt receptive to your needs, Donovan suggests ending the conversation and calling back in a day or so you might get an employee whos more amenable. (This advice works for any of the interactions you may have with the billing department.) Again, ask to see information about financial aid as well because you likely qualify for some amount of assistance.The nature of the American medical system requires a lot of patients: ensuring theyre staying in-network, double-checking bills for errors, advocating for low-cost care. Organizations like the Patient Advocate Foundation and Resolve work with patients to negotiate their bills with hospitals, so dont be afraid to ask for help.Patients have the right not to be discriminatorily overcharged, Fisher says. No one should accept medical debt.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

Let the games begin (Activision)Black Ops 6 is staging a crossover with Netflixs Squid Game this week, featuring modes and cosmetics inspired by the series.Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 is one of the best received entries both critically and commercially, with the game becoming the fastest selling Call Of Duty ever.Developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, the latest instalment boasts new movement mechanics and a return to the classic prestige system. At last months The Game Awards, Black Ops 6 even landed four nominations.After previous games featured crossovers with shows like The Boys and The Walking Dead, Netflixs Squid Game is the latest series to enter the world of Call Of Duty.When does the Black Ops 6 Squid Game event start in the UK?The Black Ops 6 Squid Game event begins Friday, January 3 at 6pm GMT in the UK across Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC. This translates to 10am PT/1pm ET in the US.The Squid Game crossover will last for three weeks in total, concluding on Friday, January 24 at 6pm GMT in the UK and 10am PT in the US.What modes are in the Squid Game event?Various limited-time modes will be available across Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 multiplayer, Zombies, and Warzone for the event.In multiplayer, there is a spin on the shows Red Light, Green Light game with the giant animatronic Young-Hee doll. Players have to survive three two-minute rounds in the Red Card Stadium, where you try to eliminate other players when Young-Hee shouts Green Light, and stop any movement on Red Light or be killed instantly.Another multiplayer mode is Pentathlon, where you play a series of modes to determine the overall winner. This includes classic modes like Domination and Kill Confirmed, alongside two new variants: Piggy Bank Team Deathmatch and Roulette.In Piggy Bank Team Deathmatch, your kills contribute to a giant piggy bank which drops at some point in the match. Roulette, meanwhile, sees players awarded double points for taking out enemies with a one-shot roulette handgun, although it might blow up in your hands with every shot fired. Young-Hee is calling the shots (Activision)In the Squid Game Moshpit playlist, traditional modes like Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Hardpoint are given a twist using the Red Light, Green Light, piggy bank and roulette handgun mechanics.As for Zombies, Young-Hee makes an appearance in Dead Light, Green Light, with each call determining how much essence you earn and how difficult the enemies will be. In Warzone, you can take on a series of challenges where underperforming squads will be eliminated.All modes in the Black Ops 6 Squid Game crossoverMultiplayerRed Light, Green LightPentathlon (with Piggy Bank Team Deathmatch and Roulette)Squid Game MoshpitZombiesDead Light, Green LightWarzoneSquid GameWhat are the rewards in Call Of Dutys Squid Game?During this event, all players will earn points on the free track of the Squid Game Event Pass. The unlocks on this track include contestant operator skins, Squid Game-themed backgrounds, double XP tokens, and a cleaver melee weapon.If you purchase the premium track for 1100 COD points (around 8), youll be able to unlock the Front Man operator, along with various weapons and equipment skins.More TrendingThere will be operator bundles available to buy separately too, between the Pink Guards Tracer Pack, the VIPs Tracer Pack, and the Young-Hee Tracer Pack. At the time of writing, the price for these bundles has yet to be announced. Get your cosmetics (Activision)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralExclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Were going to go out on a limb here and say that even if youre one of the worlds biggest photo and video enthusiasts, we have a deal on an external hard drive that you will never outgrow. Amazon has just dropped a 44% off deal on the massive 20TB version of the Seagate Expansion desktop USB hard drive, making it very possibly the last $280 you ever spend on external storage.See at AmazonHow big is 20 terabytes? Enough to hold roughly 10 million photos or 10,000 hours of HD video. So, very possibly an entire lifetime of photos, home videos, and other files can be safely backed up to the Seagate Expansion HD, and then further protected by Seagates Rescue Data Recovery Services should disaster strike.Drag, Drop, and RelaxThe Seagate Expansion HD can be used as a pure drag-and-drop device, and can also be set as the destination for your laptop or desktop computers native backup program. (Youll have to reformat it to work with Macs Time Machine app, but thats an easy process.) Its both Mac and PC compatible, and the file transfers move quickly and reliably via the USB 3.2 connection. Itll take mere minutes for the Seagate Expansion HD to go from unboxing to actively backing up your most valuable files.With a drive as enormous as the Seagate 20TB Expansion HD, you can use it for backups and also as an ideal device for saving space on your PC or laptops hard drive. When the built-in storage on a computer pushes maximum capacity, it can affect performance, and also leave you to deal with those annoying repeated your hard drive is nearly full popup messages. Offloading files to the Seagate 20TB Expansion HD is a permanent fix for that issue.Safe From DisasterAccidents will happen. So will fires, water damage, and any number of other natural or unnatural disasters that often doom digital files. Seagate has included its Rescue Data Recovery Services in the purchase price of the Expansion HD, so your backup is backed up by experts who specialize in restoring damaged drives or extracting files and data from damaged drives and copying them onto a new, accessible device.This isnt a pocket-sized hard drive, but its the perfect size for a desktop or workstation, and at just 6.9 x 1.4 x 4.8 inches and 2.59 pounds it is easily portable. But the main appeal to this Amazon deal for 44% off the Seagate Expansion External Hard Drive is pure size 20 terabytes of it for just $280 while this deal is still active.See at Amazon

Samsungs starting 2025 with a bang when it comes to great offers on their top-line Galaxy S24+ phone. Theres a $200 instant savings deal on the unlocked 256GB model of the S24+ that brings the price down to $800, but were really loving the offer of up to $650 in instant trade-in credit that would make the Galaxy S24+ easily the best smartphone youve ever bought for just $350.See at SamsungBetter yet, this deal is for an unlocked 256GB Galaxy S24+, which means you can bring it to any of the big 3 providers Verizon, T-Mobile, or AT&T and have it up and running instantly. Even they would be hard-pressed to offer you a deal as good this one from Samsung which could get you as much as 65% off of a brand-new Galaxy S24+.Beauty, and a BeastThe Galaxy S24+ is, to put it mildly, a truly gorgeous phone. The 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x display really pops, with resolution of 1440 x 3120 pixels and support for HDR10+ for the deepest blacks and the whitest whites. It can be pumped up to as much as 2600 nits of brightness, and the 120Hz refresh rate is the final touch to make the Galaxy S24+ a true marvel when youre streaming, gaming, or browsing.Behind that beautiful screen sits Samsungs ultra-powerful 10-core Exynos 2400 chipset and Xclipse 940 graphics-processing unit to ensure that you can multitask, run numerous apps simultaneously, or take video calls, all without lag or choppy performance. If its superior video performance youre looking for, the Galaxy S24+ shoots 8K video at a crisp 30 frames per second.The Samsung Galaxy S24+ also has a 3-camera setup that rivals any competitor, with a 50 megapixel main lens, a 10 MP telephoto lens that can achieve 3x optical zoom, and a 12 MP ultra-wide lens for optimal landscape imaging.Unleash the AIGalaxy AI features are all over the Galaxy S24+, including the amazing Circle to Search which lets you use your finger or a Samsung S Pen to circle text or an object of interest on your screen and instantly have Google search for it. Live Translation, Chat Assist, and Photo Assist also make the Galaxy S24+ one of the best AI-deploying mobile devices anywhere.Samsung boosted the battery of the Galaxy S24+ to accommodate all of these amazing features, giving it up to 25 hours of Wi-Fi internet time, 29 hours of video playback time, or a crazy 88 hours of audio playback time on a single charge.When a huge trade-in offer like this pops up from Samsung, suddenly you look at your current devices in a whole new light: How much can I get for this so I can upgrade to a Galaxy S24+ phone? Head to Samsung now and see how close you can get to the $650 max credit.See at Samsung

Mike Flanagan wants his takes onCarrie andThe Exorcist to be timely. Get a look at the season finale ofOutlander. Plus, whats next onSilo. To me, my spoilers! Carrie/The Exorcist In response to a fan on bluesky(via Screen Rant), Mike Flanagan stated his upcoming unique takes on Carrie and The Exorcist feel surprisingly timely. Wicked: For Good Meanwhile, director John Cu warned the second half of Wicked gets messy in a new interview with Variety. It gets messy. I think if theyre following the emotions of this movie, [fans of the first film] walk with us. In the same interview, Ariana Grande promised the titular musical number will be quite a meal.The scene that leads up to itand afterwardsis quite a meal. I do remember, at a point, leaving my body and hovering for, like, the whole week. Heart Eyes Bloody-Disgusting reports the upcoming Valentines Day-set slasher movie, Heart Eyes, has been rated R for strong violence and gore, language and some sexual content. The War Between the Land and the Sea In the latest issue ofDoctor WhoMagazine (via The Radio Times), Russell T. Davies stated his Doctor Who spinoff The War Between the Land and the Sea is still way, way off, but adds he also believes it will be one of the greatest shows of [his] entire career.Its my job to hype, but the hype for that show is still way, way off its far from transmission. Here, right now, in the cool, dry downloads of a distant gaze, I can tell you thats one of the greatest shoots of my life and one of the greatest shows of my entire career. You can doubt me and cry hype and get left behind. Oh my God, its good! Silo Spoiler TV has a synopsis for The Book of Quinn, todays new episode of Silo. Click through for images.Juliette discovers somethings happened to Solo. Bernard makes an offer to Walker. Lukas meets with Salvador Quinns descendants. Outlander Finally, Starz has released a trailer for next weeks season finale of Outlander, A Hundred Thousand Angels. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Alvar Aalto's Finlandia Hall Reopens in Helsinki After Extensive Renovations Led by Arkkitehdit NRTSave this picture!Helsinki, Finlandia Hall - interior. Image Tuomas Uusheimo via Helsinki PartnersOriginally designed by Modernist architect and designer Alvar Aalto in 1971, Finlandia Hall represents one of Helsinki's most important modernist works of architecture. In early 2022, an extensive renovation project began, led by Finnish architecture firm Arkkitehdit NRT, aiming to make the venue more accessible to the wider public and create additional services while respecting Alvar Aalto's original design. After three years of renovation, Finlandia Hall officially reopens on Saturday, 4 January 2025.Save this picture!Commissioned in 1962 by the city of Helsinki and completed in 1971, Alvar Aalto's Finlandia Hall was conceived as the initial element of a larger city center plan. The building's design features a main auditorium and a smaller chamber music hall, originally envisioned as a separate elevated structure. The building is structured to face Terrace Square, while underground tunnels were to connect it to other cultural buildings planned along the shore of Tl Bay. Interior design was primarily handled by interior designer Pirkko Sderman and the architect Elissa Aalto, as the building was conceived as a "Gesamtkunstwerk", a total work of art. The main auditorium holds 1750 seats, the chamber music hall 350. A congress wing was added in 1975, featuring conference rooms and halls of various sizes and a concave glass faade adapted to make space for the old trees growing on site.Save this picture!The renovation project conducted by Arkkitehdit NRT prioritized preserving the building's original appearance while modernizing its interior and improving accessibility. Extensive underground work created nearly 2,000 square meters of new technical space, without altering the exterior. Upgrades include new lifts, accessible seating, bathrooms, a new kitchen, and updated LED lighting. Related Article Notre Dame Rebuilt: A Journey of Restoration for France's Iconic Cathedral The renovation, completed within schedule and budget, also aimed to follow sustainable building principles, with over 60% of doors and 70% of windows refurbished, and 7km of reclaimed moldings reused. Recycled facade marble was sold for repurposing. Energy efficiency improvements include new windows, insulation, and waste heat recovery.Save this picture!Save this picture!The renovated Finlandia Hall will offer new exhibition spaces, a caf, restaurant, and shop, and repurposed employee apartments now serve as accommodation. A key feature is the opening of the previously inaccessible northern section to the public, creating a "Finlandia Experience." This includes a wine caf, a design shop, and the opening of a new exhibition showcasing Alvar Aalto's work and Finnish history, designed by Atelj Sotamaa.Save this picture!In other restoration-related news, a new European Citizens' Initiative calls for EU legislation to encourage the reuse of existing structures, prioritizing the potential of existing public and private buildings. The extensive renovation of the fire-damaged Notre Dame in Paris has also reached a major milestone with the official reopening of the cathedral in December 2024, while restoration works continue in parts of the structure.Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorCite: Maria-Cristina Florian. "Alvar Aalto's Finlandia Hall Reopens in Helsinki After Extensive Renovations Led by Arkkitehdit NRT" 03 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1025295/alvar-aaltos-finlandia-hall-reopens-in-helsinki-after-extensive-renovations-led-by-arkkitehdit-nrt&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream