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.
The Girl Scouts’ Latest Business Project: Hailing 5G Cellphone Technology
The organization famous for its cookie sales paired with equipment-maker Ericsson to encourage Scouts to spread the word about the technology and to tout its safety. Some scientists see it differently.
How the FCC Shields Cellphone Companies From Safety Concerns
The wireless industry is rolling out thousands of new transmitters amid a growing body of research that calls cellphone safety into question. Federal regulators say there’s nothing to worry about — even as they rely on standards established in 1996.