Now that the economy is like totally fixed, it's back to the culture war! Yesterday, Archbishop Timothy Dolan, who leads the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said he felt betrayed by President Obama's decision to require religious organizations to offer woman birth control without charging them through their insurance. Now the White House is prepared to announce some sort of "accommodation." more ›

The federal government is standing firm in requiring insurance to cover birth control, but is giving "religious-based hospitals, universities, charities, and other organizations whose primary purpose is not religious, an additional year to come into compliance with the contraceptive requirement." But soon-to-be-Cardinal Archbishop Timothy Dolan said in a furious statement: "In effect, the president is saying we have a year to figure out how to violate our consciences." more ›

Earlier this week word spread of DJ Kool Herc, the father of Hip-Hop, needing some financial help for his medical problems. Jeff Chang, author of Can't Stop Won't Stop got the ball rolling and set up a website to collect donations for the Bronx native, who it turns out is in need of treatment for kidney stones, but lacks insurance. Chang addressed those visiting the website, saying, “He has given so much to make our lives better. Let us do the same for him.” And Herc has a message, as well, writing: “Now we are fighting for health care not just for me, but for everyone. I see this as another quest for me to shine light on a sensitive issue for the community." You can donate to the cause here. [via City Room] more ›

DJ Kool Herc, born Clive Campbell and later known as the father of Hip-Hop, needs some help. According to MTV the 55-year-old is in need of surgery and is currently seeking financial help, as one of America's many uninsured. DJ Premier announced Herc’s hospitalization, along with his financial troubles, on his SIRIUS satellite radio show this weekend. 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 ›

About three thousand customers are still without power after Thursday's tornados hit Brooklyn and Queens. A Middle Village resident told the Daily News, "I threw out all the food today. Everything in the freezer was getting soft. Are they going to pay us?" she asked. "Are you going to reimburse us for the food I threw out?" more ›

Ahmed Sharif, the cab driver who was brutally stabbed by a drunken passenger last week, will miss at least four months of work because of his injuries. He turned to the New York Taxi Workers Alliance this weekend for help in raising money for his family. "He can't even pick up his baby because of the wounds to his arms. He can't turn his neck," said Bhairavi Desai, executive director for the Alliance. But his real hero turned out to be CNN! more ›

A federal judge rejected the $575-657 million settlement the city is offering thousands of first responders sickened by conditions at Ground Zero after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Judge Alvin Hellerstein said, "In my judgment the settlement is not enough... I will not preside over a settlement that is based on fear or ignorance.... the people who responded on 9/11 were our heroes... They cushioned the blow. ... They brought us back from that blow." more ›

New York City small business have seen their health-insurance premiums increase by an average of 17 percent this year. Small-group HMO plan providers like GHI HMO Select and Healthnet have increased their premiums by 30 percent, while premiums at Aetna and policy rates at HIP of Greater NY rose by 20 percent, according to the Post. more ›

An ex-con charged with brutally murdering and robbing a Long Island life coach is using a fictitious sounding "assisted suicide" defense—the strangest part is he may be telling the truth. "This man came to Harlem looking for a person to take him out. This man was asking everyone in Harlem to kill him," the defendant's sister told the Daily News last year. Now, as the court finds more and more evidence to support the unlikely story, charges against Kenneth Minor may be downgraded. more ›

As expected, Wall Street will resume giving its brokers and bankers big fat bonuses this year. A report from the state budget division estimates that $64.2 billion in bonuses will be handed out in 2010—that's $57 billion more than last year, though still $19 billion less than in 2008. But the crafty financial institutions have adopted an array of creative tactics to quell public outrage over bonuses: the latest strategy is to pay their workers in stock, reports Reuters, that way it won't show up on the tax bill until five years later. Also, guns! (Okay, fine, rumors of guns.) more ›

Owners of 14 businesses destroyed by a five-alarm fire on Saturday may get a hand from the city—the city's Department of Small Business Services emergency response unit has been meeting with them, according to the Daily News. The agency said, "Our team is helping these businesses obtain copies of permits/licenses consumed by the fire, expedite [Fire Department] reports required for insurance claims as well as connecting them to other N.Y.C. Business Solutions services." more ›

Forget about swine flu, the kids at Dalton are suffering from shortness. The fancy pants Upper East Side school is filled with boys battling the problem. The cause: being a child. The cure: parents armed with growth hormones. The NY Post reports on a few of the kids — one, Jeffrey, went on the Humatrope hormone at age 10. In just five years he shot up from 4'1" to 5'7" ... and still has hopes of growing more. One expert told the paper the designer drug is like "Miracle-Gro for kids." more ›

Sure, little Damien Sosa was on the cover of People with Flight 1549 Captain Chesley Sullenberger—but his mom and 4-year-old sister are supposed to pay for their own therapy after the scary though miraculous flight. At least that's what U.S. Airways' insurer, AIG, tells the Sosa family, according to the NY Times. While the family has health insurance, Tess Sosa thinks AIG should help foot the bill, "It’s like telling me, ‘We aren’t responsible for this. This is your trauma. You deal with it.'" And when Sosa mentioned the taxpayer bailout, the AIG claims person said "their division didn’t get a cent from the bailout." AIG has offered others passengers $10,000 if they release them further liability. Airline insurance expert Bruce Chadbourne isn't surprised AIG is playing "hardball" but adds, "Even though they’re giving the passengers a hard time, eventually they will be compensated to some extent. There’s no big pot because there’s no death. But there’s still mental distress, and it is a compensatable illness which, eventually, in my opinion, they deserve. They went through hell." more ›

More than 27% of New Yorkers are now spending 50% or more of their income on rent, according to a new report issued by Representative Anthony Weiner. That percentage is up 13% since 2002, with 82,159 more NYC residents throwing more than half their income into the ravenous rent hole, as compared to seven years ago. The report, compiled from census data, reveals that Bronx residents have struggled the most, with more than 33% of residents spending half their cash on rent. For residents of Brooklyn and Queens, the number is roughly 28%. more ›

The Brooklyn based, 92,000-member strong Freelancer's Union has long helped out the uninsured of the borough (and beyond). The NY Times takes a look at the business, started by Sara Horowitz, following last month's letter she sent out to 19,000 members "who had obtained coverage through the union’s current plan with Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield, telling them that they had to choose from the new company’s five health plans — or look elsewhere for coverage." The freelancing masses are now upset, once again, and one even started a blog. Amongst the top concerns are poor customer service, high premiums and deductibles, and plenty of restrictions. Horowitz responds to the criticism by saying, in part, the added plans offer a better system of doctors; she'll also be on hand in-person this Thursday. More details and registration info can be found here. more ›

A source tells the Post that two con men who ran a mortgage scam bilking millions out of now-failed lenders like Countrywide and Washington Mutual blew obscene amounts of money on extravagant gambling trips to Atlantic City. Garri Zhigun and Aleksander Lipkin pleaded guilty earlier this month to running a 27-member gang that borrowed money to buy properties, then faked sales at inflated prices to borrow even more before defaulting on the loans. The two swindlers—who were backed by the Russian mob—made dozens of trips to Atlantic City between '05 and '06, where they were high rollers awarded with free hotel rooms and show tickets. And all this took place while Zhigun was on parole after serving two years in prison for his participation in an insurance scam involving staged car accidents. more ›

The government took more steps to, hopefully, prevent more financial chaos in the financial markets. The NY Times characterizes the moves as "what could become the biggest bailout in United States history":

While details remain to be worked out, the plan is likely to authorize the government to buy distressed mortgages at deep discounts from banks and other institutions. The proposal could result in the most direct commitment of taxpayer funds so far in the financial crisis that Fed and Treasury officials say is the worst they have ever seen.

Last year Jay Parkinson emerged as the doctor for the people, making housecalls and treating the uninsured. Now he is launching a franchise operation, called Hello Health, with the first outlet opening in Williamsburg later this month. more ›

John and Annette Ferranti certainly did not feel they were in good hands with the Allstate Insurance Company, after Allstate refused to pay their homeowners damage claim they insist was caused by an Air France Concorde jet. The insurance company, which had wanted to appeal appeal a jury award of $1.15 million to the Mill Basin couple, finally agreed to pay the Ferrantis $995,000. more ›

There are worries that a proposed $50,000 surcharge on all MD's in the state could do irreparable harm to New York's health care community. The state's medical malpractice liability fund is underfunded, and state insurance superintendent Eric Dinallo is looking for ideas. more ›

A report released by the Center for Immigration Studies shows that foreign born immigrants living in New York are socioeconomically closer to the average citizen than elsewhere in the country. The study says that New York immigrants are more likely to be in the country legally, have health insurance and tend to be better educated. The New York Times reports that the states with the widest income gaps between immigrants and citizens are California, Texas,... more ›