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Kaiser Family Foundation Health News Investigation on Social Security Over Payments
KFF Health News and Cox Media Group’s Series on Social Security Overpayments Wins the Goldsmith Awards’ Inaugural Government Reporting Prize |
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KFF Health News and Cox Media Group Television Stations announced today that they received the 2024 Goldsmith Awards’ inaugural Government Reporting Prize for their joint reporting in the series “Overpayment Outrage,” which exposed how the Social Security Administration routinely reduced or suspended monthly checks to take back funds to pay off large debts that were often created by its own miscalculation of people’s benefits.
The investigation revealed that more than two million people each year are hit with overpayments, including those least able to repay the debt, such as individuals who are poor, old, disabled, blind, or who suffer from a chronic illness.
The reporting triggered congressional hearings, a “top-to-bottom” review by Social Security officials, and increased Senate oversight. Commissioner Martin O’Malley also recently announced sweeping policy changes to stop what he called “clawback cruelty” and “grave injustices.”
The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School honored KFF Health News and Cox Media Group at the Goldsmith Awards ceremony yesterday with the new prize, which recognizes reporting on how government and public policy implementation works, including how and why it can fail and how it can most effectively and efficiently solve problems.
“This series exposed the significant impact of these mistakes on millions of people, including those who had little to no ability to pay back the government, forcing some people to lose their homes, cars and savings,” said KFF President and CEO Drew Altman, who is the founding Publisher of KFF Health News. “This is why KFF reports on systemic issues like this through our news service—to reveal how people are affected by policy. ”
“We’re honored to receive this prestigious award because it reflects CMG’s commitment to local news and investigative journalism,” said Marian Pittman, CMG’s President of Content. “The team’s relentless efforts to uncover the truth behind complex government policies and their implementation has resulted in tangible changes within the SSA and will directly benefit millions of people impacted by overpayments.”
The series was reported by David Hilzenrath and Fred Clasen-Kelly of KFF Health News and Jodie Fleischer of Cox Media Group. A list of additional contributors is available here. |
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More on “Overpayment Outrage”
In “Overpayment Outrage,” Cox Media Group and KFF Health News examined the overpayment issue and the impacts clawbacks have on vulnerable people. They found that overpayments happen due to rules that are complex and hard to follow, inadequate SSA staffing, outdated limits on assets and lagged or otherwise inaccurate data on income and other beneficiary information. The reporting also laid out potential solutions to address the legislative, funding, and process failures that cause this systemic problem.
About the Reporting Partnership
After they published the series, hundreds of disability beneficiaries came forward with troubling accounts, including that the government sent them overpayment notices without explanation and threatened to cut off their main source of income with little warning. The agency has since restored benefits to several of the beneficiaries featured in the reporting.
About KFF and KFF Health News
Other major KFF programs include Policy Analysis; KFF Polling and Survey Research; and KFF Social Impact Media, which conducts specialized public health information campaigns. A new program on Health Misinformation and Trust will be launched soon. |
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The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news. |
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The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports April 4
Sponsor A Woman Entrepreneur for the Dare To Dream Conference
Women’s Entrepreneurship Statewide Conference is June 14-15 in Fort Scott
Bo Co Coalition Minutes of April 3 Meeting
Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition
General Membership Meeting Minutes
April 3, 2024
- Welcome: Twenty-two members representing eighteen agencies attended. Billie Jo reminded members that the 2024 family swim pass applications to the Aquatic Center are available at Buck Run and The Beacon; applications must be returned to Buck Run by the end of April.
- Member Introductions and Announcements:
- Elizabeth Schafer, Pioneer Kiwanis and CASA – CASA needs volunteers!
- Angela Handly, Compassionate Ministries: There will be a bake sale fundraiser Friday, May 5, at the First Baptist Church.
- Lindsey McNeil, COPE: Since the COPE grant will be ending at the end of the month, she will be moving to a position with KRI.
- David Gillen, Beacon: 266 families and 614 people were served in March, twelve of the families were new. They had forty hours of volunteer service for March.
- Craig Campbell, GNAT and FSACF: GNAT is in the spring clean-up mode; April 22, 4-6 p.m. is the scheduled date for the Downtown Clean-up; contact Bailey Lyons to volunteer. Fort Scott Community Foundation grant applications open August 1; check the website for grant information.
- Tammy Alcantor, Crawford County Health Department: They are working toward virtual pre-natal classes for Bourbon County moms; this will eliminate the need to travel to Pittsburg for classes.
- Travis Wilcoxen, Angel Care Home Health: The specialty this month is wound care; they can help with this according to doctor’s orders.
- Nick Johnson, USD 234 Pre School: Kindergarten round-up will be held on April 10; Pre School round-up will be held on April 12. Spring Fling family night is April 18; contact Nick if you wish to have a space for your agency.
- Rachel Carpenter: The SEK Childcare Conference will be on April 20; the Dare to Dream Women’s Entrepreneurship conference will be held on June 14-15. Flyers for these events will be sent as an attachment with the minutes.
- Program: Mike Sharpmack, Executive Director, Kansas Renewal Institute (KRI) explained the concept behind the first ever institute of this type. Phase 1 of KRI will be a residential hospital with 58 beds in the adolescent unit, twenty beds in the adult unit, and an adult detox unit. Phase 2 will include an ER, hopefully within six months. Doors will open on April 15 with the first ten patients. The education proponent will be done in cooperation with USD 234. Ribbon cutting for this new facility will be April 18; 11:00 a.m.
May program: Amanda Classen, K-State Research Community Vitality Agent
June program: Tara Solomon Smith, QPR Suicide Prevention
- Open Forum: Nothing further came before the membership; Billie Jo did remind members that we do not meet in July.
- Adjournment: The next General Membership meeting will be May 1, 2024.
Raptors Are Coming To Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes
Once again, EVERGY has awarded the Lowell Milken Center with a Community Impact grant for $1,500 to bring a Golden Eagle and Bald Eagle from Operation Wildlife (OWL) to Fort Scott, Kansas.
The “Raptor Birds” presentations will honor the Unsung Hero and Holocaust survivor Pavel Weiner. Pavel was a teenage boy who survived the Terezin Concentration camp by writing in his diary and helping to create 10 secret magazines about his and his roommates’ experiences in Terezin. These magazines were later used at the Nuremberg Trials. The young men called themselves “Nesharim” which in Hebrew mean “Eagles!”
The event is planned for Wednesday, April 17th, at the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes. Pavel’s museum panel will be unveiled at 1:00pm followed by a presentation from Jessica Rockhold, Executive Director of the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education in Overland Park, Kansas who will speak about Terezin. The eagles will be outside in the Lowell Milken Park at 2:30pm and 4:00pm. Everyone is welcome for all or part of the event!
“This is a really special treat to see two eagles at once and get to hear Jessica Rockhold who is an expert on all things Holocaust!” said Ronda Hassig, a spokesperson for the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes.
About the Lowell Milken Center: The Lowell Milken Center is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) that works with students and educators within a range of diverse academic disciplines, to develop projects focused on unsung heroes.
About Evergy: As an energy provider, Evergy is committed to creating a sustainable energy future and minimizing our environmental impact. They do this through the advancement of clean energy resources, education, stewardship, and environmental actions and activities.
Correction to FS Public Library Has Two Openings
FORT SCOTT PUBLIC LIBRARY ANNOUNCES:
There are (2) open positions for the Fort Scott Public Library beginning in May. The function of the Library Board is to review requests in reference to the library. These are (4) year terms and the board meets the second Tuesday of each month. These are voluntary positions and board are not compensated. Please send your Letter of Interest to the City Clerk at [email protected] (or City Hall, 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701) by April 16th, 2024 at 4:00PM, and PLEASE be sure to include your contact information.
All submitted letters will be presented to the Library Board for consideration. The board will then make a recommendation to the City Commission for approval. All letters will be posted on www.fscity.org, as they are included in the City Commission Agenda Packet and are a matter of public record (contact information will be redacted).
For further information or questions about the position, please contact Jennifer Gum-Fowler, Fort Scott Public Library Director at (620) 223-2882.
Lisa A. Lewis, City Clerk
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports April 3
The Farmers Market Vendors Meeting Starts the 2024 Season This Evening
After several years of planning and execution, the Fort Scott Farmers Market will be under the new pavilion on North National Avenue on May 4.
Tonight is the first vendor’s meeting of the season. This meeting is for returning vendors and anyone interested in becoming a vendor in 2024, Teri Hamilton, president of Fort Scott Farmers Market said.
The meeting is at the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team office at 104 N. National Avenue, across the street from the pavilion, from 6-8 p.m.
At tonight’s meeting, there will be introductions, information about market guidelines, applications, and fees “and a time to get to know each other a little better,” she said.
Vendors are not just farmers, “but we give preference to farmers and agriculture businesses,” Hamilton said.
“There are also baked goods and craft vendors,” she said. “We have 15 returning vendors.”
“We have space for up to 24 under the pavilion,” Hamilton said.
“The vendors will park in the parking spaces under the pavilion and the customers will go around to each vendor in the parking stall,” she said.
If more than that number of vendors want to be a part of the market, the vendor spaces will have to be reconfigured, and will be thoroughly discussed, she said.
The Farmers Market Committee comprises Hamilton, owner of Hamilton’s Artisan Bakery, as president; Ethan Holly, treasurer, of Still Waters Farm; and Leanna Cain, secretary, of Sweet County Farms.
Vendors pay $5 a week for a vendor space, and if payment is given for the whole year, it is $4 a week, she said.
The market is open on Tuesdays from 4-6 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon, starting on May 4 and continuing until the end of October.
There is a Healthy Bourbon County Action Team workshop on April 15 that will focus on how to get a license to sell at a farmers market, food laws and food safety.
“We want our vendors to have access to that resource,” she said.
Hamilton said the group is so thankful for the new space.
“The pavilion is so wonderful,” she said. “We are so thankful for the project and all the fundraising that took place and they didn’t have to give us the priority,” she said.
On opening day, May 4, there will be a ribbon cutting, live music and speakers for the pavilion’s first farmers market, Hamilton said. The Bourbon County Garden Club always has a live plant sale on the first day of the market season as well.
For more information, call Hamilton at 816-491-7884.
To see the latest on the Fort Scott Farmers Market:
https://www.facebook.com/fsfma
AD: Key Apparel Is Seeking a Sales Professional
KEY Apparel is searching for an entry-level Business to Business Junior Sales Professional to join our KEY For Business team.
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Visit https://www.keyapparel.com/careers-at-key/ for more information.
Kansans Can Win a Free Tree in Celebration of Safe Digging Month
Kansas Gas Service Promotes Safety and a Greener Community
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – April 2, 2024 – April typically marks the start of the spring planting season, home improvement projects and large-scale excavations. It’s also National Safe Digging Month, and Kansas Gas Service asks residents to commit to always digging safely. As a bonus, participants will have a chance to win a free tree.
“As a utility company dedicated to safety and environmental responsibility, we recognize the importance of safe digging practices,” says Trey Pool, manager of public awareness and damage prevention for ONE Gas, the parent company of Kansas Gas Service. “With our pledge challenge and tree giveaway, we hope to not only emphasize the importance of contacting 811 before digging but also to contribute to a healthier community.”
Dig Hero Tree Giveaway
Kansas residents can prioritize safety by taking the 2024 Safe Digging Pledge at beadigherokansas.com, and recognizing the need to contact 811 before their shovels or excavating equipment hits the ground – regardless of the size of digging project. After taking the pledge, they are automatically entered into a random drawing to win a free tree in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees in the U.S.
New this year, winners of the tree giveaway contest will pick the tree they wish to plant and receive information about energy savings gained from their tree.
Why Contact 811?
With any digging project, whether planting a tree or repairing a sprinkler system, there is a high probability of underground facilities below the site, such as natural gas pipelines, electric cables or water lines. The best way to avoid damage and injury or loss of service is to contact 811 at least two full working days before digging to learn the approximate location of buried facilities in your area. By calling 811 or submitting a request at Kansas811.com, professional locators will mark the underground facilities within the designated project area with flags and/or paint at no cost to the home or business owner. Once the project is marked, be aware of the tolerance zone: 2 feet on either side of the pipe. Hand or soft dig techniques should be used within this area.
Learn more about safe digging and take the pledge at beadigherokansas.com for your chance to win a free tree.
Digital Toolkit: Access b-roll, Safe Digging Month flyer and graphics here.
About Kansas Gas Service
Kansas Gas Service provides a reliable and affordable energy choice to more than 647,000 customers in Kansas and is the largest natural gas distributor in the state in terms of customers. Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas Gas Service is a division of ONE Gas, Inc. (NYSE: OGS), a 100-percent regulated natural gas utility that trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “OGS.” ONE Gas is included in the S&P MidCap 400 Index and is one of the largest natural gas utilities in the United States. For more information and the latest news about Kansas Gas Service, visit kansasgasservice.com and follow its social channels: @KansasGas, Facebook, Nextdoor, LinkedIn and YouTube.
About the Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation is the world’s largest membership nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees with a focus in communities and forests of greatest need. The Foundation — alongside its more than 1 million members, supporters and valued partners — is committed to unlocking the power of trees to help solve critical issues facing people and the planet. Learn more about the impact of the Arbor Day Foundation at arborday.org.