Investigations & Dispatches

Your Hospital Has to Show You This Document. Most People Never Ask.

Your hospital's has a document that names, in writing, what that hospital has decided your community needs most what it promised to do about it.

Reviving the Circle

Black Death Doulas Aren’t Inventing Care at the End of Life. They’re Carrying an Older Obligation Forward.

Your money. Your ballot. Your care.

Early voting is underway, household budgets remain under pressure, and MB’s foundational new series, The Back Office of Care, launches Friday.

The Melanin Memo: The Headline Isn’t the Whole Story

Thursday, October 8, 2026 Coverage window: Friday, October 2–Thursday, October 8 Sometimes the headline says things are steady while our lives

Register by Saturday, open enrollment is live, + a new HBCU medical school gets the green light

what to ask before an insurer says “wait,” and where to turn if money is part of the harm.

Men Get Breast Cancer Too. A New Study Shows Insurance May Decide How Fast They're Treated.

The share of men starting breast cancer treatment within 30 days of diagnosis fell from 76% to 36% in under two decades, according to new American Cancer Society research. Coverage was a major dividing line.

No Bruises, Still Harm: Why Domestic Violence Belongs in the Healthcare Conversation

Healthcare is often where abuse first has a chance to be spoken. Research shows the conditions in the room still decide whether anyone answers — and whether the answer leads anywhere.

Women Aren't Complicated. Healthcare Often Isn't Listening.

“Complicated” is what people say when they didn’t ask. In the emergency room, the research shows what not asking can cost.

They Can Ask You to Leave: What Happens When a Doctor’s Office Ends Your Care

A practice can end the patient relationship, but it cannot abandon you. What notice, records, and referrals to expect, and what to ask for if you get a dismissal letter.

You Screen Positive for Suicide Risk at the ER. What Happens Next? (Back Office full version)

A positive screen should begin a pathway of assessment, safety planning, and follow-up—not end with a phone number on discharge paperwork.

Your Doctor Ordered It. Your Insurer Has to Approve It First. Here Is What the Numbers Show.

Insurers made 52.8 million Medicare Advantage prior authorization decisions in 2024. Few denials were appealed, and most appeals won. What to ask and what the new rules change.

The Enrollment Clock Is Running: What Changes for 2027 Coverage, and Who Keeps It Working

Open enrollment is underway. Here is what changes for 2027 coverage, how to switch plans, and who keeps it working after you click enroll.