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Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Health Care Costs Vary Widely, Even Locally

The cost of colonoscopies, MRIs, CT scans and mammograms can shift a lot even from Fairfax to Alexandria.

It costs less on average to get a colonoscopy or a CT scan in Fairfax than it does in Alexandria. But if you live in Fairfax County, you're probably paying more than Alexandria residents for mammograms and MRIs.  That's according to data from New Choice Health, a private company that encourages people to become smarter healthcare consumers. These regional differences have been in the news lately: As the Washington Post wrote earlier this month, "One hospital charges $8,000 - another $38,000." Using the same data as the Post, The New York Times listed out the prices of a series of procedures in hospitals across the country. In the DC metro area a colonoscopy can run anywhere from $1,800 to $7,300, depending on where you go.  The averages …

Marie

9:20 pm on Wednesday, May 22, 2013

I thought that preventive screenings such as mammograms and colonoscopies are "FREE" for the patient under Obamacare.   more ›

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Got Allergies? Find Out the Pollen Count Today

Check out the tool below to find out which pollen allergens are high in Annandale today.

Springtime has arrived and pollen is in the air. Thanks to the effects of climate change, experts say the pollen count this season will be higher than ever before.  Now you can check the daily allergy forecast as easily as the weather forecast. The Allergy Alert tool from Pollen.com above shows which pollen allergens are high in Annandale today. Please note that an advertisement cycles into the tool.

Friday, April 19, 2013

Boston Marathon Bombing Reverberates in Virginia, Across Country

Across Patch's network of 900 sites, people felt the effect of the bombing at the Boston Marathon.

On mobile? You can see a scrollable, full-screen view of the map here. The impact Monday's terror attack near the finish line of the Boston Marathon could be felt across the country, touching communities in Virginia and all across the country. The Boston Marathon is a national and international event, drawing participants and spectators from far away. When the bombs went off, they reverberated among families, friends and people who joined vigils honoring the victims. To illustrate the reach of this story, we've created this interactive map which displays Patch sites that wrote stories about local people touched by the attack. Each marker on the map is clickable and includes the name of the local person connected to the story and a link to …

Monday, January 21, 2013

Photos: Virginia Inaugural Ball

Photos from the Virginia Inaugural Ball on Sunday in Arlington.

This year's Virginia Inaugural Ball was Sunday night at the Westin Arlington Gateway.  U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, along with Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Terry McAuliffe and an estimated 1,100 others attended. [Full story: Virginia Inaugural Ball: 'You Can't Help But Feel Optimistic'] The Democratic Party of Virginia and the Arlington County Democratic Committee hosted the event.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Your Photos: President Obama's 2013 Inaugural Parade

See photos from President Obama's 2013 Inaugural Parade here. If you're attending the inaugural parade, upload your photos to this page!

Upload your photos from the Inauguration Day parade and they will be featured in this photo gallery. Just click "Upload Photos & Videos" and add a caption.

Your Photos: President Obama's Second Inauguration

See photos from other local residents attending the 2013 presidential inauguration Monday. Are you going to be in downtown D.C.? Upload your photos here, too!

Upload your photos from Inauguration Day and they will be featured in this post. Just click "Upload Photos & Videos" and add a caption. Also, tell us about your inauguration experience in the comments section below! 

Thursday, January 17, 2013

2013 Inauguration Travel Information

How to get around Washington on Inauguration Day, including Metro rail, bus, driving, biking and walking.

  Click on each transportation mode above to reveal more information and links to resources about each.  For additional District and Maryland transportation information, click here.

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