Healthcare Central

  • How a freelancer pitched a time-sensitive story about a midwifery lawsuit to the Guardian 

    When I asked Atlanta-based freelance journalist Gray Chapman how she got the idea for her April Guardian feature about a battle over who can provide midwifery care in Georgia, she said it was “99% luck.”  I disagree. Chapman — an AHCJ member who has written for publications including The New York Times, the Bitter Southerner…

  • Americans cite high insurance premiums, out-of-pocket costs as top health care concerns

    A recent Commonwealth Fund survey of more than 25,000 U.S. adults found that Americans are struggling to afford health insurance and care. For journalists, this report offers multiple story angles, including the impact on patients, hospitals, physicians and other providers.  Published Aug. 13, the report, “What Americans Want Fixed in Health Care — and Who They…

  • Long-term care needs more than a patchwork of programs, experts say

    Each day, more than 11,000 Americans turn 65, according to the National Council On Aging. Ask them who pays if they need help bathing, cooking, or getting to a doctor’s appointment, and most will answer incorrectly.   That confusion — and the complete lack of a coordinated national safety net — was the focus of a…

  • Fake MyChart messages target seniors’ personal, financial information

    Millions of Americans now use the MyChart patient portal to track their test results, schedule appointments and message their care teams. But recently, hackers have been using the MyChart name to advertise a nonexistent Medicare kit to seniors by text or email to entice them to divulge personal and financial information.  Some 41 health systems…

  • AHCJ selects four journalists for 2026 Netherlands Health Care Study Group

    The Association of Health Care Journalists and the Center for Excellence in Health Care Journalism are pleased to announce four U.S.-based journalists selected to participate in the 2026 Netherlands Health Care Study Group. From dementia villages to menopause nurses and preventive care, their projects will explore what the U.S. can learn from the Dutch approach…

  • Rural health data are complicated. And they’re getting harder to find

    By Lara Salahi As policymakers prepare to implement major Medicaid cuts while states receive billions through the Rural Health Transformation Program, journalists will need reliable data to track what happens next. But for reporters covering rural health, the number in front of you may not tell the whole story. Sometimes, what’s missing from the data…

  • The new Medicaid work requirement and how states are planning to implement it

    Rural Health Webinar Series This webinar is Part 3 of our 2026 Rural Health Webinar Series. Attend at least four of our five sessions, complete a brief knowledge check and earn an AHCJ Certification in Covering Rural Health for your resume. Learn more » The biggest cuts in Medicaid’s history take effect on January 1.…

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