Topic: Boston Herald

A C-SPAN caller describes how MassHealth placed a claim on his deceased father's estate, including his home and stocks, to recover healthcare costs. The hosts criticize Boston Herald reporter Christine McConville for her lack of knowledge regarding "estate recovery" laws, which allow the government to seize assets from members over age 55. They warn listeners that similar rules exist in other states, such as Medi-Cal in California, often catching families off guard during probate.

The Obama administration is accused of punishing the media by banning a Boston Herald reporter from a fundraiser after the paper ran a Mitt Romney op-ed. Lou Dobbs reports on other instances of media restriction, including a San Francisco Chronicle reporter being banned for using a cell phone and a reporter being locked in a closet by Vice President Biden's staff.

Florida health officials are developing guidelines that could bar patients with terminal illnesses from hospitals if facilities are overwhelmed by flu cases. Meanwhile, the Boston Herald reports that thousands of state inmates will receive H1N1 vaccinations before the general public. The hosts debate the ethics of prioritizing prisoners for medical care during a pandemic.

The potential closure of the Boston Globe serves as a starting point for a discussion on the declining relevance of traditional print media. The hosts observe that modern audiences prefer the engaging nature of television commentators or specific bloggers over traditional newspaper columnists. They also note the disconnect between international news cycles and the localized focus of American media.