March 2015 Archive
Billions Blown in Afghanistan Reconstruction Spending? (MuckReads Edition)
A Muckreads roundup cataloging the U.S. government’s financial waste in Afghanistan.
The Cost of a Cure: Medicare Spent $4.5 Billion on New Hepatitis C Drugs Last Year
Medicare's spending on drugs to treat hepatitis C soared more than 15 fold from 2013 to 2014 as new breakthroughs came to the market, according to previously undisclosed federal data. The drugs cure the disease, but taxpayers are footing the bill.
Private Emails Reveal Ex-Clinton Aide’s Secret Spy Network
Emails disclosed by a hacker show a close family friend was funneling intelligence about the crisis in Libya directly to the Secretary of State’s private account starting before the Benghazi attack.
Obamacare, Five Years In (MuckReads Edition)
The Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, is now in its second year of enrollment. We round up key reads on how it’s going.
Let The Game of Whack-A-Mole Begin: Feds Put Forward New Payday Rules
New rules put forward by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would have a major impact on the high-cost loan industry. But if history is any guide, lenders will quickly find some loopholes.
California Workers’ Comp Law Gets Criticism, Praise at Senate Hearing
Some hearing witnesses say the 2012 reform law had “unintended consequences,” prompting insurers to deny medical care and doctors to leave the system.
New York Still Charges Teenagers as Adults. Will Cuomo’s Bill Change That?
New York is poised to pass a new juvenile sentencing bill that would keep many minors from being charged as adults, but some critics say it doesn’t go far enough.
What We Still Don’t Know About the Fed’s Leak Investigation
After looking for nearly six months, the Federal Reserve says it couldn’t find out who had shared confidential policy information. Critics in Congress aren’t satisfied with the account.
California to Insurers: Don’t Use Workers’ Comp Law to Deny Approved Care
Concern over possible misuse of a 2012 workers’ comp law has led to warnings from state labor officials. A state senate committee will hold a hearing on the law Wednesday.
The Fallout of Workers’ Comp ‘Reforms’: 5 Tales of Harm
Injured workers share their stories, revealing the real-life impact of rollbacks that have been spreading across the country.
How Much Water Do You Use? Help ProPublica Investigate Water Use in the U.S.
We want to know how you use water at home — and how what you actually use compares to government estimates
Progress and Controversy Arrive With New Rules for Fracking on Public Lands
An initial review of rules issued by the Interior Department shows the federal government has taken important steps to protect drinking water resources, while not adopting the strictest regulations in place in some states.
