Corporate law firms have taught their wayward corporate clients how to use accretions of privileges and immunities to ward off or wait out the most devastating books, documentaries and media exposés. Corporate P.R. firms know that the media doesn’t follow the efforts of civic advocacy groups as a regular beat. Feature exposés are prime candidates for big journalistic awards like the Pulitzer Prizes. Reporters usually do not get awards for covering ongoing reform efforts, which require consistent media coverage to put heat on hesitant lawmakers or prosecutors – say on the push to make Congress increase corporate accountability.
Here are some current examples of exposé-proof corporate crimes and outrages.
Massive billing fraud, especially in the healthcare industry, has become a major contributor to the GDP. It probably exceeds one trillion dollars annually with healthcare over-billing amounting to at least $360 billion this year alone. The New York Times and other papers have written numerous page-one articles exposing raw gouging by hospitals. Nonetheless, the industry continues to expand its computerized, fraudulent overcharging year after year.
Health insurers (such as Cigna) have been exposed for denying claims without even looking at the patient’s medical records. Hospitals are still charging uninsured patients higher prices than insured patients.
Wage theft amounts to about $60 billion a year according to reports by the Economic Policy Institute. Despite exposés, corporations regularly rip-off low-wage
— source nader.org | Ralph Nader | Sep 15, 2023