A photo of Sam Mellins.
Authors
Sam Mellins

Sam Mellins is senior reporter at New York Focus, which he has been a part of since launch day. His reporting has also appeared in The San Francisco Chronicle, The Intercept, THE CITY, and The Nation. Reach him on Signal: mellins.613



Cupped hands giving or receiving a kidney, surrounded by an outline of New York state.
Health Department Launches First-in-the-Nation Program to Boost Organ Donations

The rollout follows years of reporting by New York Focus on delays and missed deadlines.

October 28, 2025
A collage of Hochul and the route 17 highway
Hochul Hits Pause on Hudson Valley Highway Expansion

Reporting from New York Focus last year found that the project would save drivers six minutes max, at a cost of $1.3 billion.

October 14, 2025
Assembly Staff Receive Raises After New York Focus Reporting on Low Pay, Long Hours

The first significant pay increase in years could strengthen the office responsible for reviewing major legislation.

September 23, 2025
Insurance Said His Treatment Was Covered. Then They Sent a $17,000 Bill.

Thousands of New Yorkers have new health insurance from the company Leading Edge Administrators. One Massachusetts retiree’s battle with the company highlights the risks they face.

September 17, 2025
Photo collage of a desk with a notepad and voice recorder in a newsroom.
Home Care Employer Walks Back Testimony, Fueling Concerns of Rigged $11 Billion Contract

A PPL vice president admitted pre-contract talks between the company and New York’s health department, after denying it under oath last month.

September 5, 2025
Photo collage of a desk with a notepad and voice recorder in a newsroom.
Troubled Bronx Charity Continues to Receive Government Grants

New York lawmakers are giving more money to the Bronx Community Foundation, which has failed to spend it in the past.

August 28, 2025
An insurance claim has first been stamped "approved," but then stamped "denied."
After Criticism, Home Care Employer Will Look for Better Health Insurance

Workers are currently forced to pay for insurance that many don’t want.

August 27, 2025
Senator James Skoufis is shown speaking to a group of reporters in a hallway.
‘Complete Waste of Our Time’: Lawmakers Get Few Answers on Home Care Chaos

The company in charge said they would explore other insurance options.

August 22, 2025
New York Senator James Skoufis is shown sitting down and speaking into a microphone during a legislative hearing.
New York Lawmakers Are Scrutinizing Home Care. We’ve Got Questions.

With a hearing on New York’s troubled home care program set for Thursday, here are five questions we’d like answered.

August 19, 2025
‘Zombie Debts’ Refuse to Die, Haunting New Yorkers for Decades

Fraud and falsehoods often don’t stop debt collectors from pursuing their targets for years.

August 14, 2025
New York’s Health Companies Could Pocket Millions Meant for Low-Wage Care Aides

Offering hard-to-use benefits instead of cash could help two state-funded companies dodge a 2011 law meant to boost care workers’ pay.

July 21, 2025
Adams at India Parade
Eric Adams Withdraws From Event Honoring Anti-Muslim Activist

He was slated to be the guest of honor at an event featuring a Hindu nationalist activist who has called for violence and boycotts against Muslims.

July 10, 2025
Zohran Mamdani speaking at a podium
Can Zohran Mamdani’s Agenda Survive Albany?

Mamdani’s plans for universal child care, fare-free transit, and affordable housing rely on Albany getting on board.

June 26, 2025
Cuomo Tried to Stop a $550 Million Debt Scam. It Didn’t Go as Planned.

As Attorney General, Andrew Cuomo put fraudulent debt collection firms on notice. He may have strengthened their hand.

June 22, 2025
5 Key Takeaways From Our Investigation Into Health Insurer Leading Edge Administrators

The little-known company recently won a huge taxpayer-funded contract. It has a record of not paying doctors and leaving patients on the hook for the bills.

June 13, 2025
Robyn Hodgson at a rally in Lancaster, PA.
‘I Thought I Was In-Network’: The Insurance Scheme That Could Leave New Yorkers With Mountains of Debt

A company with a history of lawsuits and unpaid claims is now managing health insurance for thousands of New Yorkers on the taxpayers’ dime.

June 12, 2025
Have You Been Sued for Credit Card Debt? Your Fake Relative Might Know.

Collectors claim they serve people who don’t exist, yet regulators rarely bar repeat offenders from the industry.

June 10, 2025
State Budget Will End Subscription Traps, Making It Easier to Cancel Cable or Streaming Services

The final budget excludes a loophole that would have exempted corporate giants like Spotify and Amazon, after New York Focus reported on the carveout in February.

May 7, 2025
Photo collage of a desk with a notepad and voice recorder in a newsroom.
Health Execs’ Charity Gave Away Millions. Don’t Ask Where it Went.

The Modim Foundation is tied to a health insurer that will begin providing coverage to thousands of New York’s home health aides in May. It refuses to disclose where its gifts go, in a violation of tax law.

May 1, 2025
An insurance claim has first been stamped "approved," but then stamped "denied."
Home Health Aides Are Getting New Insurance Coverage — From a Company With a History of Cutting It Off

Health insurer Leading Edge once tried to cancel a coma patient’s insurance and, in another case, retracted approval for surgery after the bill arrived.

April 28, 2025
1 2 3 4 5 6