ALSO NOTED: RI hospital braces for strike; The growing role of alternative medicine; and much more...

> North Dakota's insurance commissioner says that Blue Cross Blue Shield, the state's largest insurer, has plenty of money on reserve to waive member's premiums for one month. He says BCBS doesn't need to increase its rates next year. Report

> A series of reports from Argus Courier examines the high toll that healthcare costs are taking on physicians and their practices. Article

> Many healthcare providers have come to embrace alternative medicine, which is now often used in conjunction with traditional treatments. Article

> Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island is bracing for a union strike set to begin Saturday. Article

And Finally… God bless this MRI. Article