Follow the Money: Uncovering insurers’ confidential clauses that hit patients in the pocketbook

New York Times investigative reporter Chris Hamby and STAT reporter Bob Herman, who covers the business of health care, were featured in a May 21 webinar on how journalists can report on the hidden and lucrative alliances health insurers have with cost-containment companies, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and employee benefits consultants. The webinar was the second in a collaboration between The Association of Health Care Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) and was offered as part of the organizations' "Follow the Money" series, with financial support from NIHCM.

In April, Hamby reported that MultiPlan, a company in New York City that helps health insurers keep costs down, and its health insurer clients have a large and mostly hidden financial incentive to cut payments for policyholders' claims as much as possible. The result can be patients paying more than they would otherwise.

After doing a year-long investigation, Herman reported last year on a largely hidden flow of money among employee benefit consulting companies, PBMs and health insurers. Those funds went from PBMs and health insurers to the benefit consulting companies, driving up health care and prescription drug spending for employers, workers and their families, Herman wrote.

During this webinar, hosted by AHCJ health policy beat leader Joe Burns, Hamby and Herman discussed the tools and outlined the tips and strategies they used to uncover these hidden agreements and how all health care journalists can report on this important story.