List date(s) this work was published or aired.
1/1/5/12: $475 million paradox 8/12/12: Physician competition 9/30/12: Breakup signs went unnoticed 10/5/12: Health system says options on table
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
Highmark, Pennsylvania’s largest health insurer and a nonprofit Blue Cross Blue Shield company, is attempting to transform itself into an integrated health system by buying hospitals and doctor practices. The nearly bankrupt West Penn Allegheny Health System is Highmark’s prime target.. The strategy is fraught with risk, including major competition from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), the largest health system in Western Pennsylvania; the challenge of turning around West Penn Allegheny’s shaky finances, and the need to gain regulatory approval for the purchase. These reports explored Highmark’s plans and reported when the deal briefly fell apart, among the many twists and turns of a continuing story that health care experts across the country are watching closely.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
FOIA was not used for these stories.
Explain types of human sources used.
These stories relied primarily on interviews with local and national experts/observers, and Highmark, West Penn Allegheny and UPMC officials.
Results:
These reports, and numerous others, kept the public informed about a clash of health care titans. The story continues to unfold.
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 one challenged the accuracy of any of these reports. No corrections were published.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
These stories were made possible by daily coverage of the health care industry beat over the last 18 months. Source development and the ability to translate business and health care issues for readers at large are essential.