By KIM COOK

If you like to stay hydrated no matter where you go, chances are you’ve got a reusable water bottle or two. Or 10. (The collectors know who they are.)

Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, fashion trendsetter, hiker, commuter or just an eco-conscious consumer, there’s a bottle out there for you. There are bottles that sterilize themselves. Bottles that remind you when to drink. Bottles designed for sustainability. And bottles transformed by a paintbox of colors and imagery into mini artworks.

Hydration’s become more than a necessity. It’s got a personality.

Bottle basics

Kit Dillon, a writer for Wirecutter, says four things make a good water bottle: “It’s the right size. It’s leakproof. It feels good. It insulates well.”

Which one works for you depends on what you use it for, he says. Eva Bleyer, who tests kitchen appliances for the Good Housekeeping Institute, agrees.

Some people go for a favorite sipping straw while others value a comfortable carrying handle. For collectors, social media feeds light up with the launch of new colors and patterns.

Insulated BioLoco water bottles by German brand Chic.Mic are displayed at the Ambiente homewares trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany in Feb. 2025. (Kim Cook via AP)

“While I can confidently recommend which ones performed best in our tests, choosing the right water bottle is incredibly personal,” she says.

Hydro history

It’s all a far cry from the mundane mugs of yesteryear.

An early maker of light, plastic water bottles was Nalge, in Rochester, New York, which found that the unbreakable containers it was making for science laboratories in the ’60s were being used by employees on backpacking trips. The Nalgene reusable water bottle soon went on the market.

Hundreds of plastic and bioplastic versions from various makers have been joined over the decades by stainless steel and aluminum versions, with as many iterations of the lids – straws, screw-ons, flip-ups.

Smart sips

The tech keeps evolving, says Bleyer. “I’ve seen and tested everything from filtering water bottles to the Air Up, which uses flavor pods to enhance the taste, as well as newer options that carbonate your water or track your sips.”

This Feb. 2025 photo shows insulated tall and short bottles from Legami Milano are displayed at the Ambiente homewares trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany in Feb. 2025. (Kim Cook via AP)

Some examples:

Self-cleaning bottles could be helpful in countries or wilderness areas where water quality is questionable. Philips’ GoZero UV Self-Cleaning Smart Water Bottle got top ratings in Men’s Health magazine’s testing lab for self-cleaning bottles. Its month-long battery life might make it useful for off-grid camping or trekking. LED technology automatically sanitizes the bottle every two hours, or whenever you push the cap button.

The LARQ PureVis 2 is another self-cleaning water bottle. The company says the plant-based filter in the lid removes chlorine, forever chemicals (PFAS) and bacteria. The bottle also tracks your consumption. It’s made it into the Museum of Modern Art’s design store and is part of their spring new product collection.

The HidrateSpark Pro comes with a Bluetooth tracker to keep you updated on consumption, based on your age, weight, activity level and other factors you code into the app.

Low tech but reliable: Wirecutter has put the Hydro Flask on their “best” list since they started testing water bottles in 2014, citing simple yet dependable features like good insulation, sturdy steel construction, wide or narrow mouth options, and dishwasher-cleanability.

Hydration, but make it fashionable

New color and design drops generate the kind of buzz that fashion drops get. Owala’s FreeSip bottles usually go for about $25-$40, but limited-edition designs can sell in the $400 range. A Valentine’s Day pattern, and a St. Patrick’s Day pattern called “Clover the Rainbow” that was released on leap day 2024 (Feb. 29) are now on eBay for over $200.

Water bottles by Italian company You Bottles, in collaboration with street artist Banksy, are displayed at the Ambiente homewares trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany in Feb. 2025. (Kim Cook via AP)

S’well has collaborated with illustrator Steffi Lynn, known for her cheery, youthful prints and murals that feature upbeat messages like “What’s the Best That Could Happen?” and “Have a Nice Day,” and also with Crayola for a series of bottles that look like giant crayons. New patterns for the brand include a deep, moody floral called Midnight Botanical.

S’well also offers customization, perhaps for an event, team or a gift for a special someone.

Italian company YouBottles did a collab with Banksy; the artist’s “Girl with Balloon” and “Flower Thrower” murals are a couple of the patterns.

Color trend giant Pantone has its own collection of BPA-free bottles in eight vibrant colors, including aubergine, red, yellow and greenery.

Bags for the bottled bevs

Snazzy carry bags for your water bottle include insulated ones that keep the drink cold or hot. PackIt has one with a crossbody strap in sturdy nylon. Versions come in sunflower or starry-night prints, and feature a phone pouch attachment.

WanderFull’s bag has made “Oprah’s Favorite Things” list twice. The bag, available in colorful puffer-coat fabric, comes with a nylon crossbody strap. There’s a vegan leather version as well, with an additional chain strap for dressier occasions.

New York-based writer Kim Cook covers design and decor topics regularly for The Associated Press. Follow her on Instagram at @kimcookhome.

For more AP Homes stories, go to https://apnews.com/hub/homes.

By Arielle Zionts, KFF Health News

Rural hospital leaders are questioning whether they can continue to afford to do business with Medicare Advantage companies, and some say the only way to maintain services and protect patients is to end their contracts with the private insurers.

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Medicare Advantage plans pay hospitals lower rates than traditional Medicare, said Jason Merkley, CEO of Brookings Health System in South Dakota. Merkley worried the losses would spark staff layoffs and cuts to patient services. So last year, Brookings Health dropped all four contracts it had with major Medicare Advantage companies.

“I’ve had lots of discussions with CEOs and executive teams across the country in regard to that,” said Merkley, whose health system operates a hospital and clinics in the small city of Brookings and surrounding rural areas.

Merkley and other rural hospital operators in recent years have enumerated a long list of concerns about the publicly funded, privately run health plans. In addition to the reimbursement issue, their complaints include payment delays and a resistance to authorizing patient care.

But rural hospitals abandoning their Medicare Advantage contracts can leave local patients without nearby in-network providers or force them to scramble to switch coverage.

Medicare is the main federal health insurance program for people 65 or older. Participants can enroll in traditional, government-run Medicare or in a Medicare Advantage plan run by a private insurance company.

In 2024, 56% of urban Medicare recipients were enrolled in a private plan, according to a report by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, a federal agency that advises Congress. While just 47% of rural recipients enrolled in a private plan, Medicare Advantage has expanded more quickly in rural areas.

In recent years, average Medicare Advantage reimbursements to rural hospitals were about 90% of what traditional Medicare paid, according to a new report from the American Hospital Association. And traditional Medicare already pays hospitals much less than private plans, according to a recent study by Rand Corp., a research nonprofit.

Carrie Cochran-McClain, chief policy officer at the National Rural Health Association, said Medicare Advantage is particularly challenging for small rural facilities designated critical access hospitals. Traditional Medicare pays such hospitals extra, but the private insurance companies aren’t required to do so.

“The vast majority of our rural hospitals are not in a position where they can take further cuts to payment,” Cochran-McClain said. “There are so many that are just really in a precarious financial spot.”

Nearly 200 rural hospitals have ended inpatient services or shuttered since 2005.

Mehmet Oz — doctor, former talk show host, and newly confirmed head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — has promoted and worked for the private Medicare industry and called for “Medicare Advantage for all.” But during his recent confirmation hearing, he called for more oversight as he acknowledged bipartisan concerns about the plans’ cost to taxpayers and their effect on patients.

Cochran-McClain said some Republican lawmakers want to address these issues while supporting Medicare Advantage.

“But I don’t think we’ve seen enough yet to really know what direction that’s all going to take,” she said.

Medicare Advantage plans can offer lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs for some participants. Nearly all offer extra benefits, such as vision, hearing, and dental coverage. Many also offer perks, such as gym memberships, nutrition services, and allowances for over-the-counter health supplies.

But a recent study in the Health Services Research journal found that rural patients on private plans struggled to access and afford care more often than rural enrollees on traditional Medicare and urban participants in both kinds of plans.

Susan Reilly, a spokesperson for the Better Medicare Alliance, said a recent report published by her group, which promotes Medicare Advantage, found that private plans are more affordable than traditional Medicare for rural beneficiaries. That analysis was conducted by an outside firm and based on a government survey of Medicare recipients.

Reilly also pointed to a study in The American Journal of Managed Care that found the growth of private plans in rural areas from 2008-2019 was associated with increased financial stability for hospitals and a reduced risk of closure.

Merkley said that’s not what he’s seeing on the ground in rural South Dakota.

He said traditional Medicare reimbursed Brookings Health System 91 cents for every dollar it spent on care in 2023, while Medicare Advantage plans paid 76 cents per dollar spent. He said his staff tried negotiating better contracts with the big Medicare Advantage companies, to no avail.

Patients who remain on private plans that no longer contract with their local hospitals and clinics may face higher prices unless they travel to in-network facilities, which in rural areas can be hours away. Merkley said most patients at Brookings Health switched to traditional Medicare or to regional Medicare Advantage plans that work better with the hospital system.

But switching from private to traditional Medicare can be unaffordable for patients.

That’s because in most states, Medigap plans — supplemental plans that help people on traditional Medicare cover out-of-pocket costs — can deny coverage or base their prices on patients’ medical history if they switch from a private plan.

Some rural health systems say they no longer work with any Medicare Advantage companies. They include Great Plains Health, which serves parts of rural Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado, and Kimball Health Services, which is based in two small towns in Nebraska and Wyoming.

Medicare Advantage plans often limit the providers patients can see and require referrals and prior authorization for certain services. Requesting referrals, seeking preauthorization, and appealing denials can delay treatment for patients while adding extra work for doctors and billing staff.

“The unique rural lens on that is that rural providers really tend to be pretty bare-bone shops,” Cochran-McClain said. “That kind of administrative burden pulls people away from really being able to focus on providing quality care to their beneficiaries.”

Jonathon Green, CEO of Taylor Health Care Group in rural Georgia, said his system had to set up a team to deal solely with coverage denials, mostly from Medicare Advantage companies. He said some plans frequently decline to authorize payments before treatments, refuse to cover services they already approved, and deny payment for care that shouldn’t need approval.

In these cases, Green said, the companies argue that the care wasn’t appropriate for the patient.

“We hear that term constantly — ‘It’s not medically necessary,’” he said. “That’s the catchall for everything.”

Green said Taylor Health Care Group has considered dropping its Medicare Advantage contracts but is keeping them for now.

Cochran-McClain said her group supports policy changes, such as a federal bill that aims to streamline prior authorization while requiring Medicare Advantage companies to share data about the process. The 2024 bill was co-sponsored by more than half of U.S. senators, but needs to be reintroduced this year.

Cochran-McClain said rural-health advocates also want the government to require private plans to pay critical access hospitals and similar rural facilities as much as they would receive from traditional Medicare.

Green and Merkley stressed that they aren’t against the concept of private Medicare plans; they just want them to be fairer to rural facilities and patients.

Green said rural and independent hospitals don’t have the leverage that urban hospitals and large chains do in negotiations with giant Medicare Advantage companies.

“We just don’t have the ability to swing the pendulum enough,” he said.

©2025 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Sheryl Rowling of Morningstar

Beyond the emotional strain of a “gray divorce,” managing your finances is critical.

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The first step is hiring an experienced divorce attorney. Although it might be tempting to avoid legal fees, going without professional guidance could cost you more in the long run. Additionally, understanding the key financial and tax issues that come with gray divorce is essential.

1) How to budget after divorce

The cash flow you had while you were married supported one household. After a divorce, that available income stream will need to fund two households. At best, you can expect your income to be cut in half.

Granted, you only have to cover your own personal expenses, but some expenses, like housing, insurance, and medical expenses, could exceed 50% of your married costs.

Start with calculating a spending budget. To begin, itemize your fixed costs: things like rent, car payments, insurance, groceries, and utilities. Your variable expenses, such as travel, restaurants, and gifts, can be adjusted based on your available income.

As your post divorce lifestyle becomes more certain, you can revise that budget.

2) Selling the house and downsizing after divorce

After a late-life divorce, you might be thinking that you’d like to keep the family home. This could be a double-edged sword. Keeping all the equity in the house means you’ll get less of the other assets.

Also, the cost of maintaining a large home along with assuming a mortgage could squeeze your budget. Do you really want to be house-poor to keep a residence that might be too big for you?

3) Social Security divorce benefits

If you were married at least 10 years, your Social Security benefit will be the greater of your own benefit or half your ex-spouse’s benefit. Certainly, if this makes a difference for you, consider the timing of your gray divorce. For example, if you’ve been married for nine and a half years, you might want to delay the final decree for six months.

Additionally, if you are approaching age 62 (or older), you have a choice of taking benefits early for less of an ongoing monthly benefit or delaying to increase your monthly benefit. Your personal financial situation and life expectancy will be the primary decision-making factors.

4) Working after divorce

If you will be short on cash flow , returning to (or continuing) work might be a good solution. Depending on your shortfall, it might not be necessary to hold down a high-level full-time job.

Many semiretired people supplement their income with substitute teaching, house- and dog-sitting, and other part-time work.

Whether you continue your regular job or pursue something less demanding, there’s a big advantage to bringing in income: You might be able to delay drawing from your investments.

5) Long-term-care insurance after divorce

When you are on your own, long-term-care coverage is important. This insurance will be less expensive and easier to obtain when you are younger (under age 60) and healthy. If you’re not able to afford premiums, consider opting for a longer waiting period of 180 or 360 days. Paying for long-term care for six months to a year can be more easily handled than having to cover care for many years.

Watch

There are two other options for covering long-term-care costs. One, you may able to exchange a life insurance policy for a long-term-care policy. Second, consider moving into a “continuing care” retirement community. You can choose independent living, which is similar to having your own apartment. As you age and require more care, you can move to assisted living, healthcare, or memory-care facilities within the community.

This article was provided to The Associated Press by Morningstar. For more personal finance content, go to  https://www.morningstar.com/personal-finance

Today is Saturday, April 12, the 102nd day of 2025. There are 263 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space, orbiting the earth once before landing safely via parachute after a planned ejection from his space capsule.

Also on this date:

In 1861, the U.S. Civil War began as Confederate forces opened fire on Fort Sumter in South Carolina.

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Today in History: April 10, Northern Ireland’s Good Friday Agreement

Today in History: April 9, Robert E. Lee surrenders to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox

In 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Warm Springs, Georgia, at age 63; he was succeeded by Vice President Harry S. Truman.

In 1954, Bill Haley and His Comets recorded “Rock Around the Clock,” a song often cited as bringing rock ‘n’ roll music into the mainstream when it was popularized in the film “The Blackboard Jungle” the following year.

In 1955, the polio vaccine developed by Jonas Salk was declared safe and effective following nearly a year of field trials undertaken by about 1.8 million American child volunteers dubbed “polio pioneers.”

In 1963, civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested and jailed in Birmingham, Alabama, charged with contempt of court and parading without a permit. (During his time behind bars, King wrote his “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”)

In 1981, the NASA Space Shuttle program began as Space Shuttle Columbia, the world’s first reusable spacecraft, lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center.

Today’s Birthdays:

Musician Herbie Hancock is 85.
Musician John Kay (Steppenwolf) is 81.
Actor Ed O’Neill is 79.
TV host David Letterman is 78.
Author Scott Turow is 76.
Actor Andy Garcia is 69.
Movie director Walter Salles (SAL’-ihs) is 69.
Country musician Vince Gill is 68.
Actor-comedian Retta is 55.
Actor Claire Danes is 46.
Actor Jennifer Morrison is 46.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is 44.
Model-actor Brooklyn Decker is 38.
Actor-comedian Ilana Glazer is 38.
Actor Saoirse (SUR’-shuh) Ronan is 31.