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 "health code" ...
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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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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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Code Green: Bleeding Dollars
Code Green: Bleeding Dollars is a yearlong investigation by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review into the major underlying causes behind skyrocketing health care costs in the United States.
Tags: code green; health care costs; hospitals
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What's in your burger?
This story revealed how a number of restaurants aren’t following health code guidelines. These violations include not using gloves, not cooking at correct temperatures, no mouth guards at buffets, no sanitizer in rag buckets, dirty restrooms, no dates on food in the refrigerator, and storing food where it is subject to contamination.
Tags: health inspection; records; Cedar City; food; sickness; food protection code; Public Health Department; home-owned; chains; privately owned
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Code 3
"Code 3" focused on ambulance delays in San Francisco and provided a rare glimpse inside an inherently complex and often secretive bureaucracy. The project began as a two-day series and continued with several follow-up reports. Paramedics and quality control experts say the city does not have enough ambulances and needs to hire more paramedics. A history of tensions between paramedics and firefighters, and a lack of coordination between the Fire Department, the Department of Emergency Management and the Public Health Department, continues to undercut the city's 911 medical responses and the quality of care. The city does not collect sufficient data on 911 responses to fully audit ambulance delays, examine particular treatments and learn from clinical mistakes
Tags: ambulances; emergency response; San Francisco; first responders; fire department; department of emergency management; public health department
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Dirty Hotel Room Glasses
The investigation found that hotel chains "do not properly wash dirty hotel room glasses violating health codes." This can expose hotel guest to a variety of diseases.
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Chicken Wings
WCAU-TV "exposed an illegal, unlicensed and unsanitary chicken wing processing business in Philadelphia rowhome garage." Using hidden cameras they found which restaurants were serving the chicken wings and confronted them. They also found that these restaurants also had poor health inspection reports. As a result of the investigation the chicken wing processing business was closed.
Tags: food; safety; health; restaurants; consumer; chicken; illegal business; health inspection; health code; hidden camera
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Missouri’s Mental Health System
KCUR's investigation found that "Missouri's mental health system is in crisis." Group homes had violations, medication errors were made and more. "The state also fined at least five facilities, between 2004 and 2007, for abuse or neglect that led to resident deaths."
Tags: mental health; state; Missouri; medication; funds; health code violations; neglect; abuse; justice system
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Kids at Peril: Dangerous School Food
A look into the school cafeterias of the Houston Independent School District and poor conditions which the food is being stored. The 400,000 kids in the district are at risk for food-borne-illness or, in some cases, death. Kitchens did not keep track of the temperature of the food to prevent illness, but instead would not let food sit out for more than a four hour period.
Tags: cafeteria; school kitchen; illness; food poisoning; Houston Independent School District; HISD; health code; inspector
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House of Hoard
This FOX 42 Prime Assignment follows an Omaha woman who is battling the city over whether or not her trash-filled home and yard are fit for living. Hidden cameras spy on her as she rummages through neighbors' trash cans and court dates mount as she has almost 50 outstanding charges against her.
Tags: TAPE; TRANSCRIPT; health hazard; demolition; trash; housing code; Omaha; code enforcement; hidden camera