- tampabay.com/news/health/article1186020.ece
- tampabay.com/news/health/article1183441.ece
- tampabay.com/news/health/skipping-dental-visits-is-proving-costly/1175001
- tampabay.com/news/health/article1172674.ece
List date(s) this work was published or aired.
May 31, June 13, Aug. 7, Aug. 15
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
The four stories submitted for this entry all involve how health policy has impacted consumers’ access to health care: how Florida’s lack of facilities for vent patients results in lengthy hospital stays that ultimately cost taxpayers millions of dollars; how efforts to lower workers compensation premiums in the state over the years may shortchange benefits for legitimate catastrophic claims; how putting off dental care because of insurance/economic reasons is now resulting in people coming back to the dentist needing more serious, expensive procedures; and exploring the impacts locally of out-of-pocket health costs, which have risen from $3,634 in 2002 to $8,008 in 2011.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
Among the documents used for the four stories in this entry: state statutes, previous state statutes, legislative bills, nursing home facility information, industry data and surveys.
Explain types of human sources used.
The mark of these four stories included in the entry were interviews with real people who were being affected by these health policy decisions, laws and rules.
Results:
A bill has been introduced in the Florida Legislature to change some of the restrictions that catastrophically injured workers face with the workers comp system.
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 for any of the stories in the entry.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
Health policy stories are helped greatly when you have real people to tell them through.