Chronicle business reporter is finalist in Loeb competition

Chronicle business reporter Jenny Deam, author of a series of articles last year that penetrated the medical/insurance bureaucracy to explain how changes related to the Affordable Care Act are affecting ordinary Americans, was named Thursday as a finalist in the prestigious Gerald Loeb Awards.

Deam, who covers the business of health care, was recognized for her work in the beat-reporting category for finding compelling real-life examples to tell that story in a highly personal way. Among them were a husband and wife who both have cancer but found the treatment that was working for them threatened when their insurer dropped their plan.

The changes affect untold numbers of people who depend on the private market or the federal exchange created by the ACA. The reporting found insurers denying coverage by other means, such as a “medical necessity” loophole that cuts treatment for mentally ill people who likewise were promised increased access by the federal reforms.

Last year, another Chronicle business reporter was named a finalist in the Loeb beat-reporting category. The late Michael Brick was recognized for his work covering Texas energy.

Jennifer Hiller of the fellow Hearst paper San Antonio Express-News also was named a 2016 finalist in the feature category for, “Smell of Money: Oil and Ranching in South Texas.” Her work frequently appears in the Chronicle.

Established in 1957 by a founding partner of E.F. Hutton, the Loeb Awards have been presented by the University of California at Los Angeles Anderson School of Management since 1973.

Winners in 12 categories will be announced next month.