Martha Bebinger

Finding out how much an X-ray costs sounds like a simple question. But before Oct. 1, it was downright impossible to get an answer. Now, Massachusetts is pulling back the curtain on what has been a largely secret world of health care prices.

Dr. Donald Berwick ran Medicare and Medicaid right after the Affordable Care Act became law. Now he's running for governor of Massachusetts. But he hasn't left behind his work as a health quality oracle.

Some nursing home patients can go home again if they get the right, customized support. But making it happen takes time, even with organizational help from the pros. Some people need home renovations and rides to appointments. Others may need a guard dog — or a new home.

Smartphone apps can help count calories or detect a heart attack. People are embracing them to manage many aspects of their health. But medical apps are largely unregulated now, so there's no easy way to be sure which ones are trustworthy and which ones aren't.