Investigative and General Reporting Award

The NIHCM Foundation Investigative and General Reporting Award honors outstanding journalistic work that advances understanding and reform in the U.S. health care system. Now in its 32nd annual cycle, this award is part of a series of prestigious recognitions offered by the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation. The award is specifically geared toward national media outlets, including newspapers, magazines, websites, and nonprofit news organizations, whose investigative or general reporting informs key stakeholders about pressing health care issues. To be eligible, entries must be stories or series originally published during the 2025 calendar year. Series entries must be officially advertised and disseminated as such to qualify. Eligible submissions must focus on health care affordability, access, or quality in the United States. The goal is to identify reporting that introduces new insights, analyzes the causes and consequences of rising health care costs, or highlights effective strategies to improve the system. Work should be relevant to health plans, policymakers, health care providers, and other stakeholders working within or influencing the U.S. health care landscape. A $20,000 prize will be awarded to the winning submission. As with NIHCM’s other awards, each entrant may submit up to three entries, but a single article or series may only be submitted to one award category. Notably, entries that originate from a local outlet and focus on a local or state-level issue should apply under the Local Media Award instead. The Investigative and General Reporting Award is specifically for national-level work. The judging panel includes experienced journalists and journalism educators from institutions such as The Boston Globe, Columbia Journalism School, Axios, and The Wall Street Journal. Judges will assess submissions based on quality, originality, creativity, and the impact of the reporting. Emphasis is placed on the ability of the story to generate meaningful understanding and influence within health care and policy communities. The application is free and is currently open, with a submission deadline of January 30, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. There are no pre-application requirements, and all questions can be directed to Mikayla Thompson at mthompson@nihcm.org. While the foundation does not specify a notification date or performance period, the consistent annual cadence of the program suggests a recurring structure, with a likely next cycle opening in December 2026.