The NIHCM Foundation Investigative and General Reporting Journalism Award is an annual recognition for excellence in reporting on health care topics. This award seeks to highlight investigative journalism that contributes to improving the affordability and quality of U.S. health care. The competition is open to journalists and media organizations that publish content in newspapers, magazines, websites, and nonprofit news outlets. The primary goal of the award is to support reporting that informs policymakers, managed care organizations, and other health care stakeholders on issues related to health care management, financing, delivery, and affordability.

For the 31st annual cycle, the application period is currently open and will close on March 28, 2025. The award offers a $20,000 prize to the winning entry. There is no entry fee for applicants, and each entrant is allowed to submit up to three entries. Each submission must be an article or a series originally published in the calendar year 2024 and must be focused on health care in the United States. Additionally, entries cannot be submitted to multiple categories within the NIHCM Foundation awards program.

Submissions are judged by independent panels of journalists and researchers based on the quality of reporting, impact, and relevance to health care affordability and quality. Strong entries are those that produce insights or evidence that can help improve health care management, inform policies, or address rising health care costs. Investigative work that generates new evidence regarding how increasing health care prices affect quality and access is particularly valued.

The award’s eligibility criteria require that all entries address aspects of health care management, financing, affordability, delivery, or organization. If an entry is highly data-driven, applicants are encouraged to consider the Data-Driven Storytelling category instead. The NIHCM Foundation does not charge a fee for entry, making this award accessible to a wide range of journalists.

For questions regarding the submission process, applicants can contact Mikayla Thompson at mthompson@nihcm.org. The NIHCM Foundation is headquartered at 1225 19th St. NW, Suite 710, Washington, DC 20036, and can be reached by phone at 202-296-4426. The award program aims to continue its mission of supporting impactful health care journalism and fostering a better understanding of key health care issues.