Topics Health
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.

Sam Mellins   ·   August 19, 2025
Did New York Undercount Covid-19 Nursing Home Deaths?

Then-Governor Andrew Cuomo repeatedly cited federal data placing New York state 38th or 39th nationally.

Ferdi Ferhat Özsoy   ·   July 31, 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.

Sam Mellins   ·   July 21, 2025
How Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Could Impact Disabled and Hungry New Yorkers

New Yorkers across the state describe how sweeping federal cuts to Medicaid and food assistance could derail their lives.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   July 3, 2025
19 States Have Expanded Medicaid for People Exiting Incarceration, Saving Lives and Taxpayer Dollars. New York Isn’t One of Them.

The state’s efforts around reentry healthcare have stalled and face an uphill battle under the Trump administration.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   July 3, 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.

Sam Mellins   ·   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.

Sam Mellins   ·   June 12, 2025
This ‘Best-Kept Secret’ in Health Care Can Shave Down Your Medical Debt

Nonprofit hospitals are required to help those struggling with medical debt, but critics say their policies are poorly advertised and underutilized.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   June 12, 2025
A warped image of the New York State DCJS logo.
New York Police Agencies Train Officers on a Discredited Medical Condition. Legislators Are Trying to Ban It.

Documents show that six county sheriffs’ offices and two state agencies have recently included excited delirium in their training.

Chris Gelardi   ·   June 11, 2025
Need Help Paying Medical Bills? Here’s How Charity Care Works in New York.

Learn the income thresholds, deadlines, and free support services that help New Yorkers shave down or sometimes completely erase medical debt.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   June 11, 2025
Small Towns, Big Stakes: How Medicaid Cuts Threaten Health Care in the Adirondacks

From nursing homes to Planned Parenthood clinics, rural health care in Upstate New York could collapse under proposed Republican budget changes.

Clara Hemphill   ·   May 29, 2025
What’s in the 2025 New York State Budget? Here’s Everything You Need to Know.

Our searchable database breaks down what was proposed and what made it in this year’s budget among key topics like education, family policy, criminal justice, climate, and more.

New York Focus   ·   May 10, 2025
Marchers in lower Manhattan stage a "die-in" on March 15 to protest proposed cuts to Medicaid.
Medicaid Cutbacks Could Trigger Healthcare Crisis for Millions in New York

From preventive screenings to addiction treatment, critical care hangs in the balance for millions of New Yorkers relying on Medicaid.

Clara Hemphill   ·   May 1, 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.

Sam Mellins   ·   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.

Sam Mellins   ·   April 28, 2025
Thousands Wait for Long-Term Help While Hochul Pushes Involuntary Commitment

In some counties, the waitlist for state-funded mental health treatment programs can exceed two years.

Julia Rock and Chris Gelardi   ·   April 22, 2025
Hundreds of New Yorkers’ Lives Could Be Saved Each Year Under New Program

Following New York Focus’s reporting, the state health department is moving to implement a law meant to boost kidney donations.

Sam Mellins   ·   April 10, 2025
Trump’s Anti-Trans Order Clashes With New York Law

New York law mandates gender-affirming care — but some hospitals are backing down anyway.

Nathan Porceng   ·   April 2, 2025
Trump’s Federal Cuts Push New York Mental Health Programs to Brink of Collapse

Mental health providers are scrambling to prevent mass layoffs and program closures, leaving advocates urging state leaders to step in before it’s too late.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   March 31, 2025
NYC’s Employee Health Fund Has Hit Zero — What It Means for Public Workers

Longstanding perks like premium-free insurance could be at risk due to a city budget crunch.

Sam Mellins   ·   March 31, 2025
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