At a panel hosted by City & State on New York’s healthcare delivery system on Thursday, Continuum Health Partners CEO Stanley Brezenoff defended his company’s past management of Brooklyn’s Long Island College Hospital, which ended with the hospital incurring debt that was reportedly as high as $300 million. Brezenoff acknowledged the difficulty of running a state hospital, and said that Continuum put forth a number of ideas to try and stem the bleeding, including merging with other hospitals, eliminating costly services and… [More]

Prescription pot could be available at a pharmacy near you if Assemblyman Richard Gottfried and state Sen. Diane Savino get their way. Gottfried introduced legislation on Tuesday permitting the use of medical marijuana under a doctor’s supervision, which he called “long overdue.” “Were it not for political correctness run amok, medical marijuana would be the law in every state in the country,” he said. Savino believes that this is the year that the Senate finally takes up the bill, noting that 38 of… [More]

State disability providers got back one-quarter of the funding slashed from the budget when lawmakers announced over the weekend that they will restore $30 million in state funds and another $30 million in federal funds to the Office of People with Developmental Disabilities. The office faces $240 million in cuts, and it remains unclear how the pain will be divvied out. State Sen. David Carlucci said he was “disappointed” with the restoration and would work to get additional funding, perhaps by utilizing… [More]

The State University of New York voted again this week for the controversial closure of Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, but lawmakers are making a last ditch effort to keep the money-losing hospital open. Assemblyman Karim Camara said yesterday evening that negotiations were ongoing to secure funding in the state budget, even though the broad outlines have already been agreed upon. “Right now the hospital, its very existence is in jeopardy, and we need the state to assist it,” said Camara,… [More]

This year’s budget could wind up the smoothest in 30 years, cruising to passage before the session breaks for Passover and Easter holidays at the end of the month.… [More]

Legislators want their cash back, but the governor stands in their way.… [More]

Richard Gottfried, Kemp Hannon, Thomas Farley and Nirav Shah on health care.… [More]

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The governor’s Medicaid Redesign Team has saved billions, but can it keep the program solvent for years to come?… [More]

Health care exchanges are in the works ahead of a 2014 deadline.… [More]