Michael D. Chandler

This last year, it would be Reuters which took home top honors in the prestigious Barlett & Steele Awards for Investigative Business Journalism, while the veneralbe Milwaukee Journal Sentinel receiving the silver award.

Reuters’ winning piece was entiled “Diagnosed with Breast Cancer, Dropped by Insurer.” It was written by correspondent Murray Waas . The Murray Waas article, which included interviews from patients and doctors alike, looked into the dubious practices of WellPoint, the nation’s largest insurance company. Waas' article found that WellPoint had used special computer algorithms to target policyholders diagnosed with breast cancer. The breast cancer patients were then singled out by WellPoint for the intent to cancel their policies. The article drew attention from the White House and Democrats in Congress, which demanded that the major insurers, immediatley end such pratices.