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 "State Insurance Fund" ...
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Emergency
"San Francisco General Hospital was once a model for quality public health care. Now doctors and nurses who keep the hospital running warn that it's on the verge of collapse." Due to federal and state cuts, an increase in uninsured patients, lack of staff and "pressures brought on by managed care", the city's busiest hospital has began to downfall. Tali Woodward reports more on why the "Emergency Department is overburned."
Tags: hospitals; medicine; emergency; health care; doctors; clinics; insurance; funding
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Asleep at the Wheel: The Government Auto Safety Breakdown
In a series of news and investigative stories the Los Angeles Times "focused on how the deceptions by auto and tire companies coupled with the ineffectiveness of the nation's auto safety regulators..." Some of the major findings included that "State Farm insurance company had notified federal regulators about problems with Firestone tires as far back as 1998, but got no response" and that "Ford Motor C. was aware of instability problems with its Explorer SUV...but twice had declined to make design changes...". Reporters found out that " tires made by Goodyear had been experiencing similar problems to the Firestones and had been linked to several fatal crashes". Some of the stories questioned the companies' practice to keep "knowledge of unsafe products out of public eye". The series raised questions about the efficiency of federal government on safety issues. It pointed out that "the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had been thwarted for over two decades from setting or updating auto safety standards because of industry pressure and lack of funding and political support from Congress."
Tags: Firestone; automobiles; highways; tires. lawsuits; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; accidents; fatalities; Ford; Goodyear; State Farm Insurance; Continental General Tire Inc.; General Motors; Suzuki; Venezuela; Saudi Arabia; FARS; NHTSA
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The Fall of Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush
The series "disclosed misconduct on the part of Chuck Quackenbush, California's second elected insurance commissioner." The reporter found out that he "made secret deals with major insurance companies that allowed them to escape fines for mishandling hundreds, perhaps thousands, of claims relating to the devastating 1994 Northridge earthquake." The stories reported that "Quackenbush had ignored recommendations form his legal staff that some of the big insurers in the state be fined hundreds of millions of dollars for mishandling Northridge claims. Instead, Quackenbush and his senior staff bullied insurers into "donating" more than $ 12 million to nonprofit foundations he created." The reporter found confidential documents to prove that the state regulator "used public funds and the power of his office to create a political slush fund, directed by highly paid consultants, to further his quest for higher public office." Quackenbush used some of the money to "repay his wife for personal loans she made to her failed state Senate campaign." After the misconduct had been revealed, the commissioner faced state's and federal probe of corruption and finally resigned. The reporter found out that in his "final days as insurance commissioner, Chuck Quackenbush approved contracts obligating California taxpayers to pay more than $ 1 million in legal fees to lawyers representing his commissioner and his top staff in investigations of wrongdoing."
Tags: politics; campaign; contributions; donations; political finance reports; Department of Insurance; foundations; nonprofit; television advertising; corruption; earthquake; California; impeachment; taxpayers; FBI
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No title (id: 10881)
Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar's health reform package targets full-time workers who already have insurance, but offers no relief for nearly 400,000 workers without health insurance, the first story found. In the second story, the Reporter looked at teh shortage of doctors in some areas of the city, and how the city and state were unprepared to take full advantage of a federal program that could alleviate the problem. In the thrid story, the Reporter looked at how the funding of medical education discourages medical students from going into primary care.
Tags: Cuadros
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No title (id: 9133)
Sun-Journal (Lewistown, Maine) looks at the state's welfare system and finds that even though welfare recipients want to get off public assistance, they feel stuck; welfare is a better alternative than a low-wage job that doesn't provide health insurance or child care; finds that state programs with the aim of moving people from welfare to work are floundering because of lack of funds to adequately educate people, June - July 1992.
Tags: None
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COVERED: The insurance industry puts a premium on keeping government off its back. Missouri is the state of their dreams.
Riverfront Times (St. Louis) finds the line between regulators and the regulated in Missouri's insurance industry is blurred at best; legislators routinely rely on lobbyists to explain complicated bills pertaining to the industry; most also accept substantial campaign contributions from the industry, and many work in insurance sales when Congress is not in session; the Missouri Division of Insurance is among the worst-funded in the country, leaving the consumer with virtually no advocate in government, April 25 - May 1, 1990.
Tags: Insurance lobbyist Lobbia Jacobson Missouri Division of Insurance Riverfront Times