According to a recent study published in Health Affairs, a penny-per-ounce tax on soda and sugary beverages would cut consumption by 15% in adults ages 25-64. The researchers from UC San Francisco also found that from 2010 through 2020, the tax would prevent 2.4 million cases of diabetes, 95,000 coronary heart events, 8,000 strokes and 26,000 premature deaths, while saving $17 billion in health expenditures and generating $13 billion annually. But enough of this nanny-state nonsense: we need less regulation of the financial sector! more ›

Union staff members at The Village Voice are ready and prepared to strike as their contract nears its deadline on June 30th. Today, staffers announced an alternative site, The Real Voice, where they plan to continue writing without management from Village Voice Media. We spoke to a Voice staffer and strike organizer about the situation. more ›

Just last week we learned that Newt Gingrich would soon be "imposing" his fantastic solutions on us in 2012. One of those solutions was "a balanced budget," which we thought meant "not racking up large amounts of debt" but what Newt clarified today actually means "SHUT. UP. There's a sale at Tiffany's!" more ›

In honor of the one-year anniversary of Obamacare passing yesterday, Rep. Anthony Weiner decreed it, "Ask Me Shit On Social Media Day." And more than anywhere else, he was inundated with questions on Reddit, in a thread which got more than 4000 comments by the end of the day. Some tough issues were addressed, some "weiner" jokes were made, and there were no awkward moments regarding his alleged mayoral aspirations. Here's a sampling of some of his responses to those hard-hitting questions on Israel, healthcare, his fear of The Count from Sesame Street, and bike lane jokes gone wrong: more ›

Freshman Congressman Michael Grimm (R-Staten Island) is on board with the GOP's repeal of the so-called "job-killing" health care reform passed last year. But his acceptance of his employer- (and his employer is the government) provided health care has raised the ire of Democrats as well as some constituents. Staten Island Democratic Association president Richard Reichard said while protesting outside of Grimm's local office yesterday, "If you're going to say that government shouldn't provide health care, you shouldn't have it either." more ›

A federal judge in Virginia has found that part of President Obama's health care reform is unconstitutional. CNN reports, "U.S. District Court Judge Henry Hudson struck down the 'individual mandate' requiring most Americans to purchase health insurance by 2014, "An individual's personal decision to purchase -- or decline purchase -- (of) health insurance from a private provider is beyond the historical reach [of the Constitution]. No specifically constitutional authority exists to mandate the purchase of health insurance." (link to ruling)The Justice Department is expected to appeal the ruling. more ›

After an apparent dispute over rent and birth control, North Shore-LIJ and VillageCare have abandoned plans to open an urgent care center at the now-shuttered St. Vincent's Hospital and will instead open a 20,000 square foot facility on West 20th Street. North Shore-LIJ's president and CEO Michael Dowling said to NY1, "It's just a few blocks from Saint Vincent's Hospital. It's very central to the community -- more to the west, which is actually preferable to a lot of people. And if we had been in the Saint Vincent's facility we would have only been there for a short period of time anyway." more ›

When does the Republican party abandon 9/11? When it's time to provide $7.4 billion in medical treatment and compensation to first responders and residents sickened by the toxic dust after the September 11, 2001 attacks at the World Trade Center. Yesterday, the House's 255-159 vote (243 Democrats and 12 Republicans supported the measure; 155 Republicans and 4 Democrats voted nay) fell short of the majority needed to pass the long-debated James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2009. Republicans called it a "slush fund" and an "entitlement program." Rep. Anthony Weiner (D) slammed the partisanship in this rousing (and LOUD) speech. more ›

The State Legislature is slowly edging towards agreement on a budget as state lawmakers agreed to Governor Paterson's emergency bill which has $775 million in cuts and other actions in the state's health care budget, a move that keeps the government open for another week. Of course, the Times Union notes how one Assembly member called it "gubernatorial blackmail," because of how hard it'll hit hospitals. more ›

Yesterday's Ground Zero news wasn't only about mosques—the nearly $11 billion James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act was approved by the House of Representatives' House Energy and Commerce Committee, 33 to 12. But there was a fair amount of opposition from Republican members, like Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Michigan) who said, "By making this a new mandatory program, you jeopardize the financial health of the United States of America." more ›

At least one doctor has been fired after officials discovered that 4,000 echocardiogram tests were never read by doctors making a diagnosis at Harlem Hospital. The tests span about three years, and the results had been stored on a hospital computer and essentially forgotten. Reassuring! more ›

Yesterday, hundreds of people protested the closing of St. Vincent's, the Greenwich Village hospital whose financial troubles have caused its downfall. They carried a coffin that said "No ER = DOA" from 25th Street and 9th Avenue to the hospital at 7th Avenue and 12th Street while demonstrators said, "Many people are going to die because of this," and "Save our hospital!" while recounting how the hospital saved their lives. more ›

Residents at over 3,200 buildings in New York City are probably breathing a sigh of relief, as there will be no doormen and building worker strike: The 30,000 apartment building workers and owners reached an agreement just after midnight. According to SEIU 32BJ, the "workers won a tentative four-year agreement early this morning that provides nearly 10% in wage increases, maintains fully employer-paid family health care coverage and keeps pension benefits secure." more ›

Yesterday, St. Vincent's Hospital announced, "We have issued termination (WARN) notices to all employees of St. Vincent’s Hospital Manhattan today as required by state and federal law. The action came after the Board of Saint Vincent’s voted to close the hospital’s inpatient services and to seek a transfer of some or all of the outpatient services, after an effort to save the financially troubled 160-year old institution. Employees jobs will end based upon the needs of the hospital as it moves forward with an orderly and safe wind down of operations. The Board and management are extremely grateful for the dedication and professionalism of all St. Vincent employees, some of whom have been with us for decades, during this very difficult process." more ›

Yesterday, St. Vincent's announced that starting today, "St. Vincent’s Hospital Manhattan emergency department, in coordination with the NYS Department of Health and FDNY EMS, will be placed on permanent diversion of ambulances for all services except for behavioral health. The ED will remain fully functional with the ability to treat and admit all walk-in patients as needed.” Instead, ambulances will take patients to Beth-Israel, Roosevelt, NY Downtown or Bellevue. more ›

After St. Vincent's announced it would close its Greenwich Village location, there are hopes that some of its services will still exist. The Daily News reports, "At least two health care companies - Mount Sinai Medical Center and Continuum Health Partners, which operates Beth Israel - are still in talks to take over the emergency department and crucial community clinics. 'There are still health care facilities interested,' an insider told the Daily News. 'That part of the hospital is not dead yet, but it's not out of the woods, either.'" more ›

The board of directors of St. Vincent's Medical Centers decided to close its Greenwich Village location, after months of trying to find a way to stay afloat. According to a press release (see below), all "inpatient services including all acute, rehab, and behavioral health" will be closed, but "the other facilities and programs"—like its Cancer Center and the HIV/AIDS Center—"of Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers will continue as the organization seeks new sponsorship to operate them as continuing service providers." more ›

Reporters at the Post have uncovered yet another incidence of a potential Medicaid scam in which Harlem hustlers herd patients to dental offices, offering them small cash payments to get teeth cleanings or denture work. This time a 27-year-old street seller named Jose, who works with crew of five to seven others was ready, even eager, to chat. "I know this is a multimillion-dollar thing we're doing out here, and it's bad," he said. "Yes, [the dentists] know it's illegal. They don't care. They bill [Medicaid] $300 to $350 [for each person]. more ›

Now that's he's blasted both Bill O'Reily and Sarah Palin, ripped Congress Republicans a new one and had a bona-fide terrorist threat at his office, Rep. Anthony Weiner may ride his new star all the way to Gracie Mansion. "There isn't a day that I go to work in this job that I'm not thinking about how I can fight for my city. I'm sure I'll still feel that way in 2013," Weiner told the Daily News. more ›

Despite having been brushed aside as a “spectator” by an Assembly Democrat, Gov. Paterson claims he’s “been very active” in wrestling out a budget to fix the state’s $9 billion deficit. In fact, it’s those other guys who are lazy. “I've called for budget meetings, which they don't seem to want to do," Paterson said after an appearance at the Hillcrest Jewish Center in Flushing, reports the Post, adding that, "We've done everything we're supposed to do." more ›

The white powder sent to Rep. Anthony Weiner's office appears to be a kind of antacid. The powder—which forced nine staffers at the Congressman' Kew Gardens office to be decontaminated yesterday—was harmless, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told the Daily News. "That was the initial finding, and it'll be confirmed in a lab." more ›

It's not just the Democrats who supported health care reform who are running into trouble. Democrats who opposed the bill infuriated party officials and union supporters—and now liberal groups are trying to push them out of office. That's the case in Staten Island, where Rep. Mike McMahon has drawn the ire of influential Democrats and labor unions for voting against health care reform, even though the vote might have pleased his constituents. more ›

With his Kew Gardens office still closed after a white powder incident yesterday afternoon, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn/Queens) blasted Sarah Palin for sending out a Tweet that he says could be interpreted as a call for violence. The vocal health care reform supporter says the former Alaskan Governor and Republican Vice Presidential candidate shouldn't have sent out a message reading: "Commonsense Conservatives & lovers of America: "Don't Retreat, Instead - RELOAD!" more ›

[UPDATE BELOW] A health care reform opponent sent a letter containing a suspicious white powder to outspoken health care reform supporter Rep. Anthony Weiner's Kew Gardens district office, according to police scanner reports. Wire dispatches indicate that nine people are being decontaminated after potential exposure to the substance, which was sent in a letter "making reference to President Obama's healthcare reform bill." more ›

The White House released photographs of President Obama's historic day signing the $940 billion health care reform bill into law. Obama used 22 commemorative pens to sign the bill; according to The Washington Scene, "As he methodically signed the landmark bill one letter at a time, the left-handed president looked up at the crowd and said, 'I hadn't practiced this.'" more ›

Carl Paladino, a millionaire businessman from Buffalo who is interested in running for Governor, has been railing against health care reform—you know, Obamacare—but today he hit the Rudy Giuliani moment by invoking 9/11 when being interviewed by Curtis Sliwa today. Paladino said, "I fear the results of Obamacare will be so horrific that it will kill more Americans through deteriorating health care than were lost on 9-11. Nothing can lessen the terrible events of that day, but in terms of raw numbers more will suffer and die through Obamacare." more ›

Despite a "high-level arm-twisting campaign" by the Democratic party, Rep. Mike McMahon (D-Staten Island) voted against health care reform. And though the vote won him the respect of some Republicans, the White House wants to make him pay, according to the Daily News. more ›

President Obama put his signature on health care reform today, saying, "The bill I am signing will set in motion reforms that generations of Americans have fought for and marched for and hungered to see.... We are not a nation that scales back its aspirations. We are not a nation that falls prey to doubt or mistrust. We don't fall prey to fear. We are not a nation that does what's easy. It's not who we are. It's not how we got here. We are a nation that faces its challenges and accepts its responsibilities." more ›