“Birth & Betrayal”

ProPublica and the Miami Herald exposed abuses by a government-subsidized program that was created to cover the health care costs of children who suffered catastrophic brain injuries at birth. The program also was intended to shield health care professionals and hospitals from costly lawsuits. The collaborative investigative reporting project revealed that Florida’s Neurological Injury Compensation Association betrayed families rather than protect them. The work led to policy changes in mental health subsidies and the elimination of Medicaid abuses tied to the program.