The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "Aetna" ...
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FDA and Drug Safety
A CBS investigative series reports on different aspects of dangerous medicine. Some of the reports reveal that the managed care has gone out of control. "Health insurance giants ... are harming patients by denying crucial medical care, illegally denying and delaying claims, and using unfair and deceptive trade practices." Insurers also "downcode" doctors' claims - that is, change them to services that pay less or nothing at all. Other stories look at the risks posed by drug studies and the lack of enough oversight from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). One of the reports tells how a healthy baby died after being enrolled in a study of Propulsid, a heartburn drug that turned out to be dangerous and has been repeatedly rejected by the FDA for pediatric use. The series also examine cases of prescription drugs that should have never been sold, and concludes that FDA has become too close to the pharmaceutical industry. A major finding is that pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. have huge financial incentives to keep dangerous drugs on the market at the cost of patients' deaths and injuries.
Tags: TAPE; TRANSCRIPT; medicine; HMOs; health care; patients; Cigna; Oxford; Connecticare; Aetna; Physician Health Services; Anthem Bule Cross/Blue Shield; Rezulin; Pfeizer; Warner Lambert
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No title (id: 10480)
Northeast documents how Aetna insurance badly mismanaged the layoff of 7,500 workers in the early 1990s; the company created an atmosphere of anger and fear as executives interviewed younger applicants in front of older people about to be victimized by layoffs; Aetna, a company with the lowest turnover rate in the industry, alienated thousands of workers and in the long run hurt itself, Jan. 16, 1994.
Tags: Martin 9 pages
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No title (id: 5412)
Common Cause Magazine describes the luxury insurance companies enjoy because of the McCarran-Ferguson Act, exempting them from federal study; the act leaves insurance regulation up to the states, but most states' agencies are overwhelmed by paperwork requirements; shows how this lack of accountability may allow for collusion among companies, resulting in skyrocketing costs of insurance, July/August 1988.
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No title (id: 3650)
Wall Street Journal details the Department of Health and Human Services' investigation of payments by Medicare for as much as $10 billion in benefits, for which private health plans actually were liable; finds the Justice Department is trying to recover funds from insurance companies, April 7, 1989.
Tags: Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Provident Life & Accident Aetna Prudential
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No title (id: 1250)
Senior Voice (Anchorage) finds the company charged with providing insurance coverage for Medicare patients in Alaska failed to meet one of its federally mandated duties; Aetna Insurance did not provide an adequate list of Medicare health professionals who would not charge clients more than the Medicare-approved fees, March 1985.
Tags: None