The main story, which ran on July 8, examined the spectacular rise of one of the fasting-growing hospital chains in the country, Prime Healthcare Services Inc., and the debate over its business practices and its outspoken owner, Dr. Prem Reddy.
The story documented Dr. Reddy’s ongoing and controversial attempt to rewrite the modern hospital business model, an effort he says he’s beginning in Southern California and plans to expand nationally.
Prime’s model includes no longer accepting patients’ health insurance; dramatically lowering the number of patients a hospital treats while raising the price of hospital services; cutting unprofitable care some say is vital to a community; and, critics say, providing substandard care to the uninsured.
The story also documented Dr. Reddy’s numerous conflicts and lawsuits with former employees as well as his close relationship and donations to state officials, including California’s Attorney General, whose office has an oversight role.
See the archived story and contest questionnaire about how this story was written.