Culture
'Free' colon-cancer screenings often come with a catch
When preventive screening tests lead to minor procedures such as polyp removal, they often result in hefty fees, in direct conflict with new federal law.
Harris Meyer
Latest work
Politics
State legislature moves to limit 'modern debtors' prison'
A bill, now headed to the governor for signature, removes incentives for debt-collection agencies to try to get people jailed, at least briefly, in disputes over debt repayment.
Politics
Washington lawmaker trying to protect debtors from jailing
The measure seeks to end what state Rep. Derek Stanford calls "a modern debtors' prison."
Equity
Health cuts: Will Washington end up a lot like Arizona on transplants?
Cutting the state's Basic Health Plan, as Gov. Gregoire suggests, might leave some potential transplant recipients in a position that wouldn't be all that different from Arizona's.
Politics
Best of 2010: Are local courts overstepping by helping bill collectors apply the screws?
The practice of suddenly jailing people who have failed to comply with collection requests comes close to violating a ban on imprisonment for debt. Judicial watchdogs are taking note and getting some relief, but many people desperately in debt are still helpless.