Provide names of other journalists involved.
Marshall Allen
List date(s) this work was published or aired.
7-Jun-11
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
Allen knew he was onto a great story when the telemarketer called him at home, offering a free heart and lung scan. Allen, who was relatively young and healthy, had a feeling that the company might be using unscrupulous methods to take cash from patients. His investigation exposed a CT scanning company that was performing thousands of unnecessary procedures in five states, without a doctor’s prescription and without proper licensing. Regulators in two states shut the company down immediately after his inquiries. After the story came out, one state regulator fined the company $3.2 million and the Illinois Attorney General responded with a lawsuit on behalf of consumers. The company went out of business.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
This story involved analyzing the laws in each state to determine whether the company was operating within their bounds; a FOIA request to the FTC for complaints against the company’s telemarketing calls. It also included reading lots of academic studies to determine when the scans are recommended.
Explain types of human sources used.
The reporter used his own experience for some of the narrative of the story, but other sources included patients who had signed up for contracts with Heart Check America; regulators in the five states where the company operated; officials from the FTC and cardiology experts who could discuss the validity of the technology.
Results:
The body imaging story led to a lawsuit filed by the Illinois Attorney General’s office, a $3.2 million fine against the company by the state of Colorado, and regulators in two states finding enough violations by the company to shutter two of its clinics. The company is no longer in business.
Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
No corrections or clarifications were needed.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
It’s crucial for reporters to trust their instincts and lean into a story, seeking more information, when they have a hunch. Trusting my initial instincts led to a great story and accountability for the company.