List date(s) this work was published or aired.
14-May-12
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
The United States is more than two years into a new era of healthcare reform. Some say President Obama’s healthcare law overreached legal bounds, while others say the law did not go far enough to fix the country’s fragmented healthcare system. This story looks at a different, polarizing type of healthcare reform that goes beyond the Affordable Care Act: single-payor healthcare. Critics of single-payor believe it’s a “government takeover of our healthcare decisions,” while others note it is a system used in almost every other developed country in the world. The article lays down the foundation for the question: What would single-payor do in the United States? And more specifically, what would its impacts be from the hospital or health system’s point of view. This story delves into what single-payor is and isn’t, and what is could mean for hospitals and health systems — in terms of quality and finances — on a national scale.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
Several different documents, data and Internet resources were used, including: –CMS data. –Roughly 10 studies and reports from scholarly journals (such as the New England Journal of Medicine) and other nonpartisan organizations (such as The Kaiser Family Foundation). –No Freedom of Information Act requests were required.
Explain types of human sources used.
I interviewed several different types of sources, including: –Two hospital CEOs –Two physicians –A certified public accountant specializing in healthcare –A healthcare compliance auditor and experienced medical coder –Advocates for single-payor (such as Physicians for a National Health Program) –Advocates against single-payor (such as America’s Health Insurance Plans)
Results:
There are no results — only a framework of what single-payor may look like on the national level.
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.
There have been no follow-ups, corrections or clarifications.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
Make sure there is enough research to balance out the human sources. Single-payor is a complicated subject, and there are more than just “two sides” to the story. There are hundreds of sides. It’s finding the ones that are cohesive, comprehensive and worthwhile that should be included to give a full framework.