March 6, 2024Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PAOversight board will secretly review how Pa. counties spent millions of dollars to fight opioid crisisby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA and Kate Giammarise of WESACounties must report how they spent tens of millions of dollars they received in the first rounds of opioid settlement payments.
Feb. 23, 2024Office of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWinePennsylvanians say the East Palestine train derailment left them sick and without helpby Kiley Bense of Inside Climate NewsMany of those affected by health issues that stem from the East Palestine train derailment are women, and they have often been stymied in their efforts to access resources.
Feb. 22, 2024Ed Mahon / Spotlight PAWhat to know about Shapiro’s pitch to legalize marijuana, its chances in the Pa. legislature, and moreby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA and Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAUnlike his predecessor, Gov. Josh Shapiro has the benefit of a Democratic-led state House and a state Senate where attitudes appear to be shifting.
Feb. 20, 2024Ed Mahon / Spotlight PAA bill to legalize syringe services in Pa. just passed a historic hurdle, but GOP opposition remainsby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAThe CDC says new users of syringe services programs are more likely to enter drug treatment. But providers in most of Pennsylvania risk arrest.
Feb. 14, 2024Nate Smallwood / For Spotlight PADOJ settlement will bring new protections for people with opioid use disorder in Pa. courtsby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAUnder the settlement, officials overseeing Pa.’s court system will encourage all county courts to adopt an anti-discrimination policy for opioid use disorder medications.
Feb. 9, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesPa. could wipe out up to $400M in medical debt under proposal from Gov. Josh Shapiroby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAGov. Josh Shapiro’s budget calls for Pennsylvania to use $4 million to buy medical debt. The proposal must win support from the GOP-controlled state Senate.
Feb. 5, 2024Nate Smallwood / For Spotlight PAOpioid settlement money is supposed to expand syringe services. A Pa. nonprofit just lost $150K because of them.by Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA and Sarah Boden of WESABillions of dollars are coming to states to help them respond to the opioid epidemic, but Pennsylvania's drug paraphernalia law is creating conflict.
Jan. 29, 2024Kent M. Wilhelm / Spotlight PAPa. Supreme Court sets the stage to consider whether the state constitution protects abortionby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA and Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAA new Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision doesn’t resolve whether Medicaid can pay for abortion or decide if it’s protected by the state constitution, but it offers hints about the justices’ thinking.
Jan. 29, 2024Ed Mahon / Spotlight PASpotlight PA court victory leads to new academic research into Pa. medical marijuana programby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAIn February 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Health shared data that Spotlight PA won access to with academic researchers across the state.
Jan. 25, 2024Ed Mahon / Spotlight PAJustice Department expands claims against Pa. courts in opioid addiction treatment caseby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAThe federal Department of Justice recently broadened its accusations that Pa. courts discriminate against people with opioid use disorder by restricting access to medications.
Jan. 12, 2024Leise Hook / For Spotlight PANew law aims to make guardianship a last resort in Pa., but some experts say it doesn’t go far enoughby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAA new Pennsylvania law makes changes to the process of assigning guardians to people who are considered incapacitated, but some experts fear it won’t solve the issues.
Dec. 7, 2023Kate Giammarise / WESAOpioid settlement: Allegheny County won’t receive a $479,000 penalty after questions from WESA and Spotlight PAby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA and Kate Giammarise of WESAWith McKeesport signing on in November, Allegheny County will get a full payout from the opioid settlement fund this year.
Nov. 29, 2023Nate Smallwood / For Spotlight PAOpioid settlement money is supposed to expand syringe services. Pa.’s drug laws stand in the way.by Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA and Sarah Boden of WESASeveral charities in Pennsylvania provide syringe services in their communities despite a state law that puts them at risk.
Oct. 23, 2023Dan Nott / For Spotlight PABad tech, staffing shortages hinder Pa. as it reassesses health care coverage for 1000sby Katie Meyer of Spotlight PATens of thousands of people in Pennsylvania are believed to have wrongly lost their benefits since the state began “unwinding” pandemic-era protections.
Oct. 18, 2023Ed Mahon / Spotlight PAWhich Pa. counties are receiving the most opioid settlement money — and whyby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA and Kate Giammarise of WESAOpioid payments for county governments and county district attorney offices equaled about $6.50 per resident across the state last year. But there were big differences.
Aug. 2, 2023Andy Blackburn / LNP | LancasterOnlinePa. counties face uncertainty as they grapple with how to spend opioid settlement fundsby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAA drug task force, a county detective, and body scanner at a county jail are some of the proposed uses that county officials across the state have sought clarity on.
July 27, 2023Commonwealth Media ServicesDemocrats say stalled Pa. budget leaves behind adult mental health patientsby DaniRae Renno for Spotlight PAIn 2022, Pennsylvania lawmakers promised to spend $100 million on adult mental health services. This year’s budget uses the money for a different purpose.
June 1, 2023Screenshot / Spotlight PASecret meetings by board overseeing Pa.’s $1 billion in opioid settlements draw criticismby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA and Kate Giammarise of WESAThe oversight board also does not let the public speak at meetings and says it’s not subject to the state’s Right-to-Know Law.
May 18, 2023Shane Dunlap / TribLIVE for Spotlight PAPa. opioid settlement money: What you need to knowby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA and Kate Giammarise of WESAIn Pennsylvania, there’s currently no single resource for people to see how counties and local governments plan to spend the money. But understanding the process can help you influence it.
May 8, 2023Alejandro A. Alvarez / Philadelphia InquirerThree ways Shapiro’s budget would change public health in Pennsylvaniaby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAShapiro's budget proposals include boosting money for public health agencies, programs to prevent maternal mortality, and taxing recreational marijuana sales.
April 20, 2023Leise Hook / For Spotlight PAAn older Pa. woman was placed under guardianship. Her family says the system betrayed her.by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAAn ongoing lawsuit spotlights Pennsylvania’s vexing system for safeguarding vulnerable older adults from potential fraud and other conflicts when they are declared legally incapacitated.
April 18, 2023AMANDA BERG / FOR SPOTLIGHT PAExpecting more than $1 billion in opioid settlement money, Pa. grapples with policing versus treatmentby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA and Kate Giammarise of WESAGov. Josh Shapiro has touted the money as “specifically earmarked for treatment,” but some counties want to hire more police officers and bolster drug task forces.
April 14, 2023Leise Hook / For Spotlight PAPa. Medicaid reenrollment: What you need to know to keep your health insurance or find other optionsby Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAAfter three years of guaranteed Medicaid coverage, Pennsylvanians in the program have to reenroll in the next year or risk losing their insurance. Here’s what you should know.
April 3, 2023Abby Drey / Centre Daily TimesHow much north-central Pennsylvania nonprofit hospital executives are paidby Ashad Hajela of Spotlight PA State CollegeTo get a broader picture of executive pay at nonprofit hospitals in north-central PA, Spotlight PA compiled a list of salaries and bonuses from facilities in the region.
April 3, 2023JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia InquirerPa. faces a shortage of benefits workers as health coverage for thousands is on the lineby Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAThe offices that help Pennsylvanians keep their Medicaid benefits are facing persistent vacancies and a heavy workload. Advocates and staff fear people could lose coverage as a result.
March 13, 2023Harold Brubaker / Philadelphia InquirerA Pa. hospital’s revoked property tax exemption is a ‘warning shot’ to other nonprofits, expert saysby Ashad Hajela of Spotlight PA State CollegeA Commonwealth Court judge found the nonprofit Tower Health system was operating a Montgomery County hospital with the motive of profit.
Feb. 24, 2023Heather Khalifa / Philadelphia InquirerShapiro admin can do more as rollbacks to food and health benefits loom in Pa., experts sayby Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAMillions of Pennsylvanians will soon get less money to buy food, and hundreds of thousands could lose their government health insurance.
Feb. 13, 2023ELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Philadelphia Inquirer5 ways Pa.’s marijuana laws could change in 2023by Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAThe Pennsylvania legislature is considering everything from expanding who can get medical marijuana to full legalization. Here’s what you need to know.
Jan. 31, 2023Leise Hook / For Spotlight PAHow anxiety came to dominate the big business of medical marijuana cards in Pennsylvaniaby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAAn unprecedented Spotlight PA analysis of 1 million medical marijuana certifications reveals how a change by policymakers made it possible for virtually anyone to get a card.
Nov. 10, 2022Leise Hook / For Spotlight PARare disciplinary case against Pa. doctor offers glimpse into the big business of medical marijuana cardsby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAA patient’s complaint about her virtual appointment through Veriheal has offered a look inside the multimillion dollar certification industry.
