Did You Know...

**Written by Doug Powers

Michelle first brought this to our attention in 2010, and classes are finally about to begin for reporters. Specific curriculum? It’s not that easy — you’ll have to sign up for the course to find out what’s in it:

A private organization that “helped lay the groundwork” for Obamacare is hosting a symposium to “offer specialized education in health care reporting” for mainstream reporters from outlets including Reuters and Money magazine.

As reported by Rusty Weiss for FreedomWorks, the Commonwealth Fund is sponsoring a two-day symposium, hosted by the Society of American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW) entitled “The Business of Health Care” at Reuters headquarters in New York City. The symposium will “offer specialized education in health care reporting” and “boost knowledge of the Affordable Care Act.”

“The goal over two days will be to introduce fellows to experts in the field and explore ways to improve coverage of the issue,” according to an announcement on the SABEW website. Former Obama administration official Sherry Glied will address the reporters as a speaker at the event.

The Commonwealth Fund, whose research about the Affordable Care Act was often cited by the White House, awarded a $15,000 grant in 2010 to SABEW for a “a series of education programs focusing on aspects of the nation’s new health-care reform law,” according to Weiss.
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The Commonwealth Fund’s current president David Blumenthal is a former health care adviser to President Barack Obama.

For any media who will be attending, here’s the class schedule:

8:15 am-9:15 am: Darn Right 30 Hours Per Week is Full Time Work

9:30 am-10:30 am: If You Like Your Doctor, You Can Keep Your Doctor: How That Tongue Depressor You Took From Your Favorite Physician’s Office Before His Abrupt Retirement Can Mean That Technically He Never Really Went Away

10:45 am-11:45 am: When “Affordable” Doesn’t Have to Mean Affordable Affordable

12:00 pm: Lunch in Building Cafeteria (prepared under the same guidelines established by the first lady’s school lunch program)

12:03 pm: Lunch at Pizza Hut

2:00 pm-3:15 pm: Headline Symposium: Unacceptable: ACA Medical Device Tax Killing Jobs — Acceptable: ACA Allowing Families to Spend More Time Together

3:30 pm-4:30 pm: Bury the Lede, Win a Waiver: 7 Habits of Highly Effective Health Beat Reporters

5 pm: Keynote Speaker Joe Biden Closes the Seminar: Thanks for F-in Coming, Man, and Don’t Publish Malarkey or No Exclusive Interviews with the Big Guy

**Written by Doug Powers

Twitter @ThePowersThatBe