May 14, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesRural hospitals in Pennsylvania at risk as GOP weighs plan to cut Medicaid, Shapiro saysby Associated PressMedicaid cuts would also mean billions of dollars in lost federal aid and hundreds of thousands of people losing access to the program.
May 13, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesPrivate equity investors in Pa. health care don’t prioritize patients, critics sayby Asha Prihar of Spotlight PAPrivate equity firms have a record of cutting services at health providers and leaving them with debt or gaps in care. Patients can face higher costs, and communities can lose hospitals.
May 6, 2025Susan L. Angstadt / For Spotlight PAYou asked about Pennsylvania’s opioid crisis and settlement funds. We’ve got answers.by Ed Mahon of Spotlight PASpotlight PA answers your questions about Pennsylvania’s opioid crisis — who’s affected, what’s being done, and how you can get involved in the response.
April 22, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesPublic health officials in Pa. won’t say how they’d handle a $500M cut sought by Trump adminby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAThe funding helps Pennsylvania purchase and administer vaccines, monitor the spread of infectious diseases like measles, and contact people who might have been exposed to dangerous pathogens.
April 22, 2025Mingson Lau / APWhy the law that forces people to get mental health help didn’t stop the Shapiro arson attackby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PAInvoluntary commitment is intended to be a last resort with a high bar. At the same time, many counties lack other mental health services.
Feb. 25, 2025Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PAThe children left behind by free lunch programs, and the proposed $250M solutionby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAHunger affects students’ grades and health, but thousands of Pennsylvania kids fall just outside the income threshold for even reduced lunch. Advocates say free lunch for all is the solution.
Feb. 19, 2025Ed Mahon / Spotlight PATell us how Pennsylvania’s opioid crisis has changed you, your family, your community, and moreby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PASpotlight PA is investigating the opioid crisis, and we want to hear your story.
Feb. 17, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesPublic health improvements aren’t a priority for Berks County amid budget crunch, officials sayby Amanda Fries for Spotlight PAResearch paid for by the county found serious shortcomings in care and services, but leaders say other needs, including more juvenile detention beds, take precedence.
Feb. 12, 2025Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PAChild welfare agencies are buckling under staffing shortages as Pa. debates using opioid money to helpby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAA number of counties are using opioid settlement money for child welfare purposes, but spending by Cameron County was rejected.
Feb. 10, 2025Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAError-filled directories leave thousands in Pa. unable to find health care providersby Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PAWidespread errors in Pa. insurance provider listings are going uncorrected for months, raising concerns about access to care, a new report shows.
Jan. 28, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesGhosted by your doc? New law aims to weaken restrictive noncompete contracts, keep physicians localby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAThe rules prevent a health system from pushing dismissed doctors out of town and keeping patients in the dark, but critics say it's still too narrow.
Jan. 21, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesEmpathy between the person receiving and giving care helps both. What happens when dementia tears that bond?by Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAWhen someone with dementia loses their ability to have empathy, caring for them can become isolating and fraught, research shows.
Jan. 10, 2025Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PA5 key takeaways from Spotlight PA’s investigations into Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana card systemby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAA series of Spotlight PA investigations prompted efforts to increase oversight of Pennsylvania’s booming medical marijuana card business.
Dec. 31, 2024Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PAWATCH: Inside the big business of medical marijuana cards in Pennsylvaniaby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAInvestigations into Pennsylvania's medical marijuana card approvals raise questions about oversight and quality of care.
Dec. 27, 2024Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PAScrutiny and secrecy defined Pennsylvania debates over how to spend opioid settlement billions in 2024by Ed Mahon of Spotlight PADecisions made by a powerful state oversight board could shape spending decisions for years to come.
Dec. 24, 2024Sarah Boden / For Spotlight PAMeet the Santas helping Pa. families with sick children weather holidays in hospitalsby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAHospital volunteers and workers observe holiday traditions to help boost the spirits of Pennsylvania kids undergoing exhausting treatments in unfamiliar environments.
Dec. 18, 2024Daniel Fishel for Spotlight PAA handful of Pa. doctors approved 1/3 of medical pot cards in a single year. Experts question the quality of care.by Ed Mahon of Spotlight PARecords obtained by Spotlight PA through a court victory have already spurred calls for greater oversight of physicians and potential changes to the state’s medical marijuana law.
Dec. 17, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesMail delays, paperwork problems prevent hungry families from accessing food benefits in Pa.by Sarah Boden for Spotlight PASNAP helps low-income Pennsylvanians afford food, but a new report finds paperwork snafus and confusing rules can prevent people from accessing that assistance.
Dec. 10, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesDoctors in Pa. recommend RSV, flu vaccines as winter approachesby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAPhysicians in Pennsylvania don’t anticipate the surges of patients they saw during the first winters of the COVID-19 pandemic, but encouraged RSV and flu vaccinations.
Dec. 3, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesA range of workers provide maternal care in Pa. Learn their roles.by Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAThe federal government argues a more robust maternal health workforce is key to improving mortality before, during, and after childbirth.
Nov. 25, 2024Ed Mahon / Spotlight PACounties fight for more freedom over how to spend opioid money with $247M more on the wayby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PASomerset County and Philadelphia are fighting decisions made by a powerful state oversight board to reject their spending plans.
Nov. 19, 2024Georgianna Sutherland / For Spotlight PAPaint, pipes, and soil can expose Pa. children to lead. How to stay safe.by Sarah Boden for Spotlight PALead is especially harmful to children because they are developing, so knowing potential exposure sources provides a first layer of protection.
Nov. 15, 2024Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PANew database tracks how 10s of millions in opioid settlement dollars are being spent in Pennsylvaniaby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAA first-of-its-kind database from Spotlight PA will now make it easier for the public to track Pennsylvania’s opioid settlement funds.
Nov. 12, 2024Wikimedia CommonsHoarding disorder can drive families and communities apart. Local support can help.by Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAPeople with hoarding disorder can endanger themselves and their communities if left untreated. An Irwin nonprofit is stepping up to offer support.
Oct. 29, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesLawmakers pushed a slate of bills to improve maternal health care in Pa. Why some did — and didn’t — become law.by Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAOne law mandates the creation of a postpartum depression awareness campaign. The other allows Medicaid reimbursement for doulas.