Last week, Reuters was first with the news that hundreds of people with HIV/AIDS in Louisiana trying to obtain coverage under President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform are in danger of being thrown out of the insurance plan they selected. The report, by Sharon Begley and Julie Steenhuysen, was widely covered in the press and inspired a civil rights discrimination complaint. In a Reuters Best: Journalist Spotlight Q&A, Julie offers an inside look at the reporting behind their scoop.
Q. How did you get this exclusive?
A. It all started last August, when my new bureau chief, David Greising, challenged the Chicago staff to each take a new source out to lunch. I invited John Peller, policy director at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. John and I have been talking back and forth about an Obamacare story related to HIV. Last Thursday afternoon, John told me about an issue in Louisiana in which hundreds of people were in danger of being thrown out of the insurance plan they chose. I was leaving for vacation the next day, so I asked my New York colleague Sharon Begley, one of our Obamacare experts, to lend a hand. We quickly arranged a conference call with four sources in Louisiana who told us about problems their clients with HIV were having paying for their new health plans with money from the state/federal Ryan White AIDS program. This assistance is often used to cover the cost of health insurance for people with HIV to make sure they get the care they need.
Since our story ran, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has strengthened its statement favoring the use of these funds, and Lambda Legal has filed a discrimination complaint with the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.
Q. What types of reporting/sourcing were involved?
A. This story is the product of long-term source building. Since my initial meeting with John in August, I have had several conversations with sources in the HIV/AIDS community looking at the impact of Obamacare on people with HIV. Three weeks ago, I attended a day-long workshop on HIV and the Affordable Care Act organized by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. A week later, they came back to me with this tip.
Q. What advantages does working at Reuters give you in working on a story like this?
A. Reuters fosters teamwork, especially among those on the health team. I could have tried to sit on this tip until I returned from vacation so I could do the story solo, but that risked losing the scoop. I knew Sharon would be a great partner on this, and she was and continues to be.
Q. What makes you passionate about journalism?
A. I’ve had the opportunity this year to focus on the impact of the Affordable Care Act on individuals through a series of stories. Last fall, I traveled to Mississippi for a week to look at how that state’s decision not to expand Medicaid affected several individuals, including the health of a young woman in dire need of insurance. Late last year, I spent a week in Peoria talking to healthcare providers about new programs designed to cut costs and improve quality. And now, I’m focusing on HIV and Obamacare. Throughout these stories, I get to meet real people struggling with real problems, and to shine a light on how health reform is affecting them. It’s hugely rewarding work.
To read the latest from Julie Steenhuysen, click here.
