DENVER, Colorado – The Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ) and Investigative Reporters and Editors are teaming up to offer a webinar series on health care reporting and investigative journalism.
The free webinar series, “Follow the Money: The Business of Health Care,” aims to equip journalists with the tools they need to cover the financial side of health care. With the generous support of the NIHCM Foundation, the series will cover topics such as where to find financial data for hospitals, investigating health care pricing and medical debt, and understanding private health insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid.
IRE Executive Director Diana Fuentes emphasized the importance of collaboration in today’s journalism landscape and expressed excitement about working with AHCJ to help journalists cover critical health care issues. AHCJ Executive Director Kelsey Ryan shared the same sentiment, emphasizing the value of bringing together their joint expertise to benefit journalists.
The first webinar, scheduled for March, will focus on using HospitalFinances.org and other tools to tell money stories, and will be led by longtime AHCJ member Karl Stark, a reporter at the Philadelphia Inquirer. The series will continue in the coming months, with webinars covering topics such as health care costs, private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and medical debt.
Investigative Reporters and Editors is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving investigative reporting through networking, conferences, and training. Meanwhile, the Association of Health Care Journalists is an independent organization focused on advancing public understanding of health care issues and providing training, resources, and support for journalists.
By coming together, these two organizations are working to provide journalists with the skills and knowledge they need to effectively cover the business side of health care, ultimately benefiting local communities across the country.