The Workaround podcast tells the stories of the difficult and sometimes shocking things people do to work around the American health care system. This video series takes you into the homes, on the streets and inside the facilities where these workarounds are changing the way everyday people access care.
Nicole Smith-Holt lost her son, Alec, because he couldn't afford his insulin. Now, with the support of the online diabetes community, she is asking pharmaceutical companies and the United States government to lower prices. Read the story from reporter Bram Sable-Smith.
Toni Hoy and her husband adopted 2-year-old Daniel in 1997, knowing he had suffered from severe neglect. When the trauma manifested itself in behavioral problems, they sought Medicaid assistance for mental healthcare. They were denied coverage. As a last resort, the Hoy family decided to give up custody for treatment. Read the full story from reporter Christine Herman.
As the U.S. prison population ages, facilities are finding creative ways to care for elderly offenders. Wabash Valley Correctional Facility enlists younger inmates as caretakers for their older counterparts.
Untimely deaths from the opioid crisis have created a surplus of hepatitis C-infected organs. Two innovative trials from Johns Hopkins University and the University of Pennsylvania found a way to transplant hepatitis C-infected kidneys and then treat the disease in the organ recipient with ground-breaking new drugs. Read the full story from reporter Emily Forman.
Produced by Kyle Travers. Videography by Chris Elberfeld, Vinnie Manganello and Andy Young