What a Wrongful Death Lawsuit Reveals About America’s Largest Oxygen Provider
When an at-risk sleep apnea patient needed his breathing machine replaced, Lincare, a $2.4 billion behemoth with a decadeslong history of regulatory and legal problems, acted slowly. The result was disastrous.
Trump Vowed to Clean Up Washington, Then His Team Hired a Man Who Pushed a Scam the IRS Called the “Worst of the Worst”
Frank Schuler was a leading promoter of a tax deduction derided as a scam by prosecutors, senators and the IRS. Now he’s a senior adviser to the General Services Administration, which manages the federal government’s property.
A Strange Alliance: Oxygen Companies and Their Medicare Patients Want Congress to Pay the Companies More
Some patients who have suffered at the hands of Lincare and Philips Respironics have joined forces with these corporations to lobby for an end to Medicare’s competitive bidding process for oxygen and to make liquid oxygen available.
How Lincare Cashed In on the Disastrous Recall of Philips Breathing Machines — at the Expense of Patients
Amid reports of thousands of injuries and hundreds of deaths, Lincare was supposed to supply the most ailing patients with new CPAP machines, but instead diverted the devices to new customers who would deliver greater profits for the company.
How Lincare Became a Multibillion-Dollar Medicare Scofflaw
Lincare, the nation’s largest distributor of home oxygen equipment, has repeatedly violated Medicare rules and probation agreements, victimizing ailing patients and costing taxpayers huge sums. The federal government has done little to stop it.
Chinese Organized Crime’s Latest U.S. Target: Gift Cards
Chinese crime rings already dominate the illegal marijuana trade in the U.S. and launder cocaine and heroin profits. Now a federal task force is investigating their role in a burgeoning form of gift card fraud.
Walmart Bought a Finance App and Reduced Fraud Protections. Guess What Happened Next?
The retail giant has long sought to become a financial powerhouse. But after it acquired a neobank called One in 2022, fraud complaints multiplied and customer reviews cratered.
How Walmart’s Financial Services Became a Fraud Magnet
Scammers have duped consumers out of more than $1 billion by exploiting Walmart’s lax security. The company has resisted taking responsibility while breaking promises to regulators and skimping on training.
The FCC Is Supposed to Protect the Environment. It Doesn’t.
The agency is mandated to safeguard the environment from damage caused by communication infrastructure. But when companies want to add new cell phone towers, build on protected land or launch satellites, the agency typically does little or nothing.
How Congress Finally Cracked Down on a Massive Tax Scam
The recently signed $1.7 trillion spending bill could accomplish what six years of IRS audits and DOJ prosecutions could not: shutting down “syndicated conservation easements” that exploit a charitable tax break meant to preserve open land.
A Guide to Cellphone Radiation
ProPublica recently examined how the federal government, based on quarter-century-old standards, denies that cellphones pose any risks. This guide answers some of the most common questions people ask about cellphone radiation.