All three Lancaster newspapers – The Intelligencer Journal, New Era, and the Sunday News have failed to cover or comment upon the Wall Street Journal’s expose last Thursday of how Lancaster General Hospital (LGH) has been grossly profiting at the expense of our uninsured (for religious reasons) Amish neighbors (and others) by insisting that they pay “charges” in full that LGH routinely discounts to insurance companies by over 50% and even more so to MediCare.
When NewsLanc launched its ongoing investigation into what seemed inexplicable earnings by LGH, the hospital’s unfair treatment of the Amish was on the lips of almost all knowledgeable observers whom we interviewed.
When the Intell published a front page puff piece stating “Though the large size of [LGH’s] facilities alone would seem to guarantee big revenues and profits, LGH is exceptionally efficient inside those facilities, the council report shows”, NewsLanc Watchdog responded, “Even the dullest Introductory Economics student, let alone a reporter and editor worth half their salt, would recognize that a major reason for such unusual profits might be non-competitive market conditions that permit higher prices and thus higher profits than would be normal.”
LNP’s dereliction of journalistic responsibility concerning the overcharge of the Amish is further evidence of the tacit and self serving collusion that has been underway in Lancaster, at least harkening back to the Convention Center project and attacks on former commissioners. The Lancaster Newspapers, with rare and benign exceptions, “sees no evil, hears no evil, and speaks no evil” about the Big Five: F & M College, Fulton Bank, the High Group, Lancaster General Hospital and, of course, itself.
NewsLanc blames the executives of the LNP for this abomination, not necessarily editors and staff.
NewsLanc repeats its demand for a new chair and president of The Lancaster Newspapers so that once again Steinman Enterprises can reliably serve its community, as it did so honorably in the past.
