Max Blau

America’s Mental Barrier Archives American insurance companies — quietly, and with little government pushback — have assumed an outsize role in mental health care. People in pain are paying the price.

For more of @propublica.org's reporting on the ways insurers interfere with mental health care benefits, check out our 2024 series, America's Mental Barrier. www.propublica.org/series/ameri...

An EmblemHealth spokesperson said the insurer does “not admit” to the state attorney general's findings but agreed to the settlement “to avoid time-consuming litigation.” The spokesperson added the insurer has “focused on taking immediate steps to further support our members' access to care.”

They Couldn’t Access Mental Health Care When They Needed It. Now They’re Suing Their Insurer. A new lawsuit alleges that an insurer’s ghost network hindered New York City employees from accessing the mental health care they sought — and harmed the reputation of psychiatrists wrongly listed as ...

This settlement also follows our reporting last month on a lawsuit filed by New York's city employees. You can read more on that legal battle here: www.propublica.org/article/embl...

State Regulators Know Health Insurance Directories Are Full of Wrong Information. They’re Doing Little to Fix It. State agencies say they’re holding insurers accountable for errors in provider directories. But ProPublica found that the actual actions taken so far do not match the regulators’ rhetoric.

The settlement comes after a 2024 ProPublica investigation examined how these errors can limit patients’ access to mental health care. www.propublica.org/article/ghos...

Insurer Agrees to Pay Millions for Failing to Fix Errors That Made It Harder for Customers to Get Mental Health Care EmblemHealth will compensate customers who paid out of pocket for mental health care because they couldn’t secure an appointment with a provider listed as being in-network. It also pledged to take add...

EmblemHealth, one of New York's largest health insurers, has agreed to pay a $2.5 million settlement for failing to fix errors in its provider directory. You can read more about the settlement over at @propublica.org: www.propublica.org/article/embl...

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We’re ready to strike! Our members are walking out of @propublica.org’s offices today to practice picketing and show we are serious about winning a fair contract. Support us by signing our petition: actionnetwork.org/petitions/te...

The Dramatic Rise of Farm Labor Contractors Has Led to Rampant Abuses. Here’s Why Regulators Have Failed to Stop Them. Experts say there aren’t enough state and federal inspectors to adequately vet whether labor contractors who oversee farmworkers are following the rules. Nor is there broad political support to invest...

NEW: Experts say there aren’t enough state and federal inspectors to adequately vet whether labor contractors who oversee farmworkers are following the rules.

Nor is there broad political support to invest more resources to protect foreign workers.

The Dramatic Rise of Farm Labor Contractors Has Led to Rampant Abuses. Here’s Why Regulators Have Failed to Stop Them. Experts say there aren’t enough state and federal inspectors to adequately vet whether labor contractors who oversee farmworkers are following the rules. Nor is there broad political support to invest...

The dramatic rise of farm labor contractors has led to rampant abuses. For the latest story in my @propublica.org series on the H-2A visa program, I've looked into some of the reasons why regulators have failed to stop foreign farmworkers from getting harmed:
www.propublica.org/article/h-2a...

They Couldn’t Access Mental Health Care When They Needed It. Now They’re Suing Their Insurer. A new lawsuit alleges that an insurer’s ghost network hindered New York City employees from accessing the mental health care they sought — and harmed the reputation of psychiatrists wrongly listed as ...

A lawsuit filed by a group of New York City employees against their health insurer cites ProPublica's reporting on ghost networks, where health plans list providers who supposedly accept that insurance but who are not actually available to patients.

By @maxblau.bsky.social

They Couldn’t Access Mental Health Care When They Needed It. Now They’re Suing Their Insurer. A new lawsuit alleges that an insurer’s ghost network hindered New York City employees from accessing the mental health care they sought — and harmed the reputation of psychiatrists wrongly listed as ...

NEW: A teacher called over a dozen therapists to find mental health care following a miscarriage.

An EMT spent months looking for one after a suicide attempt.

They couldn’t find any in-network provider able to see them. Now they're suing their insurer.

The lawsuit cites @propublica.org's reporting on provider directory errors and how insurers have driven mental health providers to quit their networks. You can read all of our past coverage on the ways insurers interfere with mental health care here: www.propublica.org/series/ameri...

They Couldn’t Access Mental Health Care When They Needed It. Now They’re Suing Their Insurer. A new lawsuit alleges that an insurer’s ghost network hindered New York City employees from accessing the mental health care they sought — and harmed the reputation of psychiatrists wrongly listed as ...

A new lawsuit alleges that an insurer’s ghost network hindered New York City employees from accessing the mental health care they sought — and harmed the reputation of psychiatrists wrongly listed as being in-network. My latest for @propublica.org: www.propublica.org/article/embl...

Farmworkers Are Frequently Exploited. But Few Farms Participate in a Program That Experts Say Could Prevent Abuse. Experts say the Fair Food Program has helped improve conditions for farmworkers. But farms and produce buyers across the country have resisted joining.

Farmers have long relied on third-party contractors to source and manage farmworkers.

But all that outsourcing makes it hard for growers to know how workers are being treated — and makes it easy to ignore when they’re treated badly.

By @maxblau.bsky.social

Farmworkers Are Frequently Exploited. But Few Farms Participate in a Program That Experts Say Could Prevent Abuse. Experts say the Fair Food Program has helped improve conditions for farmworkers. But farms and produce buyers across the country have resisted joining.

NEW: Experts say the Fair Food Program has helped improve conditions for farmworkers who are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. But farms and produce buyers across the country have resisted joining.

By @maxblau.bsky.social

Farmworkers Are Frequently Exploited. But Few Farms Participate in a Program That Experts Say Could Prevent Abuse. Experts say the Fair Food Program has helped improve conditions for farmworkers. But farms and produce buyers across the country have resisted joining.

Experts say the Fair Food Program has helped improve conditions for farmworkers who are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. But farms and produce buyers across the country have resisted joining.

My latest for @propublica.org takes a close look at the program: www.propublica.org/article/fair...

Q&A: ProPublica’s Max Blau on bridging investigation and narrative, live at University of Georgia - The Sunday Long Read The SLR Podcast hit the road (somewhat virtually) for the first time this summer. SLR co-founder Jacob Feldman spoke to ProPublica’s Max Blau at the University of Georgia in partnership with the schoo...

I spoke with @thesundaylongread.bsky.social for their podcast, which was recorded live in front of the MFA students of @ugagrady.bsky.social. We chatted about how I reported on ghost networks for @propublica.org's "America's Mental Barrier" series.

Listen here: sundaylongread.com/2025/09/26/p...

A Farmworkers Visa Promised Her a Better Life. It Was a Trap. Sofi left behind her child in Mexico for the promise of providing him a better life. She ended up a victim of an operation that is alleged to have exploited the H-2A visa program — and the workers it ...

Sofi left behind her child in Mexico for the promise of providing him a better life by coming to the U.S. on a farmworker visa. She ended up in a trap.

“Not all of us get to be smiled upon by the United States,” she said.

By @maxblau.bsky.social

“Proximity is power” : Max Blau on mixing investigative and feature writing (Live at UGA) Podcast Episode · The Sunday Long Read Podcast · 09/26/2025 · 1h 11m

Kudos to UGA MFA alum @maxblau.bsky.social for reporting a terrific story and thanks to @thesundaylongread.bsky.social for featuring him and our program on its podcast. Take a listen! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...

Q&A: ProPublica’s Max Blau on bridging investigation and narrative, live at University of Georgia - The Sunday Long Read The SLR Podcast hit the road (somewhat virtually) for the first time this summer. SLR co-founder Jacob Feldman spoke to ProPublica’s Max Blau at the University of Georgia in partnership with the schoo...

Don't miss our Q&A with @propublica.org's @maxblau.bsky.social on bridging investigation and narrative, live at the University of Georgia. sundaylongread.com/2025/09/26/p...

Trump’s Attack on Visas Working illegally is riskier, but working legally is becoming impossible.

I went on @slate.com's What Next podcast to discuss my ongoing H-2A visa series for @propublica.org. Listen to our convo about the perils of the program, tough choices facing foreign farmworkers, and the difficulties of clamping down on abuse and exploitation.
slate.com/podcasts/wha...

Trump’s Attack on Visas Working illegally is riskier, but working legally is becoming impossible.

Does your food come from a system of modern day slavery here in the US? I'm guest-hosting for Mary Harris today on What Next, @slate.com's daily news pod. ProPublica's @maxblau.bsky.social joined to share his reporting on H-2A visas for seasonal farmworkers, who will be more vulnerable under Trump.

A Farmworkers Visa Promised Her a Better Life. It Was a Trap. Sofi left behind her child in Mexico for the promise of providing him a better life. She ended up a victim of an operation that is alleged to have exploited the H-2A visa program — and the workers it…

In 2021, Javier Sanchez Mendoza Jr. pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in forced labor as part of a federal investigation that exposed widespread abuses of H-2A workers across Georgia.

This is the story of what one of those workers endured.

By @maxblau.bsky.social

A Farmworkers Visa Promised Her a Better Life. It Was a Trap. Sofi left behind her child in Mexico for the promise of providing him a better life. She ended up a victim of an operation that is alleged to have exploited the H-2A visa program — and the workers it…

"She was sold the American dream with a farmworker visa. She ended up in a nightmare." — @maxblau.bsky.social & Zaydee Sanchez @propublica.org

Migrant workers ensnared in 'slavery' scheme on American farms A federal investigation known as Operation Blooming Onion exposed widespread abuses of H-2A workers across Georgia, ranging from wage theft to sexual abuse.

A big thanks to @wbur.org for chatting with me about @propublica.org's investigative series into harms happening within America's H-2A program. You can listen here: www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2...

Employers Have Exploited and Abused H-2A Farmworkers for Years. It Doesn’t Have to Be That Way. The seasonal visa program has failed to protect migrant farmworkers from wage theft, forced labor, violence and death. Experts, lawyers and advocates say there are ways to reduce and even stop the har...

NEW: The H-2A visa program has failed to protect migrant farmworkers from wage theft, forced labor, violence and death.

Here’s what experts, lawyers and advocates think would make the program safer.

By @maxblau.bsky.social

Max Blau, Reporter I cover health care, the environment, agriculture and immigration for ProPublica’s South unit.

I’m continuing to report on the state of the H-2A program in the months ahead. Are you a H-2A worker? Do you employ H-2A workers? Are you a regulator? Or have another role related to the H-2A program? I’d like to hear from you. Please get in touch: propublica.org/people/max-b...

Employers Have Exploited and Abused H-2A Farmworkers for Years. It Doesn’t Have to Be That Way. The seasonal visa program has failed to protect migrant farmworkers from wage theft, forced labor, violence and death. Experts, lawyers and advocates say there are ways to reduce and even stop the har...

The H-2A visa program has failed to protect migrant farmworkers from wage theft, forced labor, violence and death. Experts, lawyers and advocates say there are ways to reduce and even prevent the harms. Here's what they think would make the program safer. www.propublica.org/article/h-2a...

How to Contact ProPublica or Send a Tip Securely — ProPublica Our job is to hold people and institutions accountable. To do that, we need evidence.

Read Sofi’s full story and learn more about the challenges facing America’s H-2A program in our ongoing series. Got a tip? Contact us at propublica.org/tips

This past June, the Trump administration went one step further, suspending any enforcement of the new program’s rules until that litigation is resolved.

The number of H-2A visas issued has increased every year since Sofi arrived.

But though this case revealed how easy it is to exploit and abuse visaholders, little has changed. The Biden administration increased protections for H-2A workers, but several lawsuits filed by states including Georgia have prevented them from fully going into effect.