Washington

Health care spending to grow slower

National spending on health care will continue to surge in coming years, but at a slower rate than the previous two decades, according to new government analysis of the nation's $3 trillion health care tab. The Department of Health and Human Services report suggests that changes under way in medical care and insurance coverage may help rein in the notoriously high-cost system, even as millions of Americans gain insurance through the federal health law. But the slowing still may not make health care affordable, as medical spending is projected to outpace economic growth in the next decade, the report suggests.

Reno, Nev.

13 hurt in chemical mishap at museum

Authorities said 13 people, most of them children, were injured Wednesday when a demonstration about the science of tornadoes went awry at a museum in downtown Reno. Officials said eight children and one adult were treated at a hospital for minor burns and minor smoke inhalation. Four others were treated at the scene. Officials say a chemical flash, "similar to if someone threw gasoline on a fire," apparently occurred during a routine demonstration at the Terry Lee Wells Discovery Museum to create a whirling tornado effect.

Washington

VA rules may open door to benefits

Thousands of Vietnam-era veterans barred from receiving benefits because of less-than-honorable discharges may be eligible for upgrades under a new set of guidelines released by the Defense Department on Wednesday. The new rules offer the first guidance to military discharge review boards on how to address post-traumatic stress disorder. Many experts and veterans' advocates assert that the disorder may have contributed to misconduct by veterans who were later kicked out of the military and stripped of benefits.

Vienna

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Health care spending to grow more slowly, government report suggests