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 "Medicare" ...
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Cracking the Codes
Cracking the Codes documented how thousands of medical professionals have steadily billed Medicare for more complex and costly health care over the past decade – adding $11 billion or more to their fees – despite little evidence elderly patients required more treatment. The series also uncovered a broad range of costly billing errors and abuses that have plagued Medicare for years – from confusion over how to pick proper payment codes to apparent overcharges in medical offices and hospital emergency rooms. The findings strongly suggest these problems, known as “upcoding,” are worsening amid lax federal oversight and the government-sponsored switch from paper to electronic medical records.
Tags: Medicare; health care; billing; medical offices; hospitals; government; medical records
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Health Care Hustle
It is one of the biggest and most overlooked factors in the rising cost of health care. According to government estimates, fraud in programs like Medicare and Medicaid costs taxpayers $80 billion a year, with some estimates as high as twice that amount. Doctors, pharmacists, home health care providers, and even patients are hustling the system. Who's paying the tab? You Are.
Tags: Health care; fraud; Medicare; Medicaid; taxpayers; government authorities; patients
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Cracking the Codes
The story documents how thousands of medical professionals have steadily billed Medicare for more complex and costly health acre over the psat decade -- adding $11 billion or more to their fees -- despite little evidence elderly patients required more treatment.
Tags: elderly; medicine; healthcare
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Are EMS Companies Taking Medicare For A Ride?
The Houston Chronicle published stories detailing how Houston was the nation's private ambulance capital and how it was connected to questionable Medicare payments and unregulated for-profit mental health clinics.
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Home Health Care Fraud
Exposing how the health care company Maxim Healthcare overbilled their patients, costing the U.S. taxpayers thousands of dollars. Through a whistleblower prosecutors were able to build a case against the firm, resulting in the largest home health care fraud fine ever.
Tags: health care; fraud; maxim health care; medicare; medicaid; whistleblower; fine; overbilling
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Decoding Prime
"This series investigates how a major California hospital chain boosts it's bottom line through aggressive billing practices"
Tags: Prime Healthcare Services; septicemia; Medicare; broadcast
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Bankers Life and Casualty
Bankers Life & Casualty is a 100-year old insurance company based in Chicago that prides itself on serving hte senior citizen community. But Inside Edition exposed a major financial scheme that propted a Senate investigation.
Tags: Bankers Life & Casualty; senior; elderly; Medicare
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Secrets of the System
The Wall Street Journal showed how mining Medicare claims can expose waste and potential fraud in the $500 billion government health program.
Tags: Medicare; cancer; Medicare abuse; cost; doctors
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First, Do No Harm
This investigation focused on lax supervision of doctors-in-training, patient harm and alleged billing fraud at Dallas' premier medical school complex and its primary teaching hospital, which are financed largely by taxpayers. It also examined more broadly questions about medical training, patient care and healthcare fraud at teaching hospitals around the United States.
Tags: doctor training; patient harm; patient care; Medicare fraud; health care; healthcare; Dallas; medical school; hospital; billing fraud; surgery
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"Do No Harm: Hospital Care in Las Vegas"
This two-year investigation delved deep into Nevada's hospital care. Using state records of hospital patients, the reporters were able to "tap meaningful information" and uncover some frightening statistics on the state's level of health care. The Sun analyzed records dating back to 1986 that had never before been made public.
Tags: Nevada; health care; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; CAR; Mountain View Hospital; UNLV; Empowered Patient Coalition