http://www.balconynewyork.com Wed, 16 May 2012 22:22:18 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/16/new-york-nurses-union-charts-aggressive-new-course/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/16/new-york-nurses-union-charts-aggressive-new-course/#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 22:21:39 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=6039

4,000 nurses gather to vote, transform their union

Photo opportunity: Thousands of nurses rallying for safe staffing legislation

Contact: Bernie Mulligan, 212-785-0157, ext, 140/ 518-469-2035 (cell)

New York City, May 16, 2012 — This Thursday, 4,000 working bedside nurses, members of the New York State Nurses Association, will gather to set a new, aggressive course for their union, when they meet at the Jacob Javits Center, North Hall, 655 West 34th St, Manhattan.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/16/new-york-nurses-union-charts-aggressive-new-course/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/15/state-workforce-down-consultants-on-the-rise-and-costing-state-more/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/15/state-workforce-down-consultants-on-the-rise-and-costing-state-more/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 20:48:08 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=6031

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Albany - The New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) today released its second in a series of reports on how much money the state wastes by relying on costly consultants to do the work state employees can do for less.

]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/15/state-workforce-down-consultants-on-the-rise-and-costing-state-more/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/10/partnership-for-nyc-responds-to-mayor-bloombergs-2013-budget/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/10/partnership-for-nyc-responds-to-mayor-bloombergs-2013-budget/#comments Thu, 10 May 2012 19:38:04 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=6027 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/10/partnership-for-nyc-responds-to-mayor-bloombergs-2013-budget/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/09/liu-statement-on-mayor%e2%80%99s-executive-budget/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/09/liu-statement-on-mayor%e2%80%99s-executive-budget/#comments Wed, 09 May 2012 20:39:08 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=6024 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/09/liu-statement-on-mayor%e2%80%99s-executive-budget/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/08/42-of-american-adults-will-be-obese-by-2030-study-says/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/08/42-of-american-adults-will-be-obese-by-2030-study-says/#comments Tue, 08 May 2012 20:39:10 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=6020

By Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times

Though the rate of the last 30 years has slowed, it's far from leveling off, and it's going to get expensive, say experts at the Weight of the Nation conference in Washington.

The ranks of obese Americans are expected to swell even further in the coming years, rising from 36% of the adult population today to 42% by 2030, experts said Monday.

Kicking off a government-led conference on the public health ramifications of all those expanding waistlines, the authors of a new report estimated that the cost of treating those additional obese people for diabetes, heart disease and other medical conditions would add up to nearly $550 billion over the next two decades.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/08/42-of-american-adults-will-be-obese-by-2030-study-says/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/07/statement-of-pef-president-ken-brynien-on-governor%e2%80%99s-legislation-to-create-new-justice-center/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/07/statement-of-pef-president-ken-brynien-on-governor%e2%80%99s-legislation-to-create-new-justice-center/#comments Mon, 07 May 2012 20:35:57 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=6018

Albany - We agree with the governor that the abuse and neglect of people with disabilities cannot and should not be tolerated. Additionally, private providers who serve people with special needs and disabilities should and must be subject to the same transparency as state facilities and group homes. Information on abuse in facilities operated by private providers is often times shrouded in secrecy.

]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/07/statement-of-pef-president-ken-brynien-on-governor%e2%80%99s-legislation-to-create-new-justice-center/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/04/remembering-pete-fornatale/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/04/remembering-pete-fornatale/#comments Fri, 04 May 2012 22:08:25 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=6015 REMEMBERING PETE FORNATALE



I had the honor of speaking at both wakes and after the funeral mass for Pete Fornatale. Several people asked me to print out my talks. This represents a summary of what was a very emotional, difficult, and privileged time.

Dear Friends,

Pete and I were friends for 45 years. We met at a weeklong workshop for teachers, hosted by Fordham University in the summer of 1967, to help teachers to use electronic media in the classroom. There were several superstars who spoke; led by media guru Marshall McLuhan, Sidney Poitier, a whole host of film directors and TV experts and a young recent Fordham graduate named Pete Fornatale. They were all very interesting but the only one I went up to talk to was Pete, who spoke about the role of Rock music in the classroom.

Read the entire EULOGY.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/04/remembering-pete-fornatale/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/04/settlement-in-payroll-scandal-gives-mayor%e2%80%99s-budget-a-lift/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/04/settlement-in-payroll-scandal-gives-mayor%e2%80%99s-budget-a-lift/#comments Fri, 04 May 2012 21:25:29 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=6008

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said Thursday that an infusion of almost half a billion dollars from the settlement over the CityTime payroll scandal would enable New York to fill more than 2,500 teaching positions that were to be eliminated in the budget for the coming fiscal year, while avoiding tax increases or layoffs of police officers or firefighters. ]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/04/settlement-in-payroll-scandal-gives-mayor%e2%80%99s-budget-a-lift/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/01/health-care-workers-rally-to-oppose-diminishing-services-at-mohawk-valley-psychiatric-center/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/01/health-care-workers-rally-to-oppose-diminishing-services-at-mohawk-valley-psychiatric-center/#comments Tue, 01 May 2012 21:51:35 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=6003

UTICA, NY (04/27/2012)(readMedia)-- Doctors, nurses, counselors and therapists at Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center (MVPC), represented by the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF), rallied today in front of the Utica State Office Building on Genesee Street. The health care providers protested the elimination of long term adult inpatient services for the mentally ill in Oneida County that will result from the closure of the adult inpatient wards at MVPC.

PEF members were joined by members of the Civil Service Employees Association and concerned residents, as well as state Senator Joseph Griffo and Assembly Member Anthony Brandisi as they chanted, marched and waved signs to draw public awareness and support.

]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/01/health-care-workers-rally-to-oppose-diminishing-services-at-mohawk-valley-psychiatric-center/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/01/new-york-on-15000-a-year/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/01/new-york-on-15000-a-year/#comments Tue, 01 May 2012 21:20:22 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=6000

Imagine trying to survive in New York City on less than $15,000 a year. That is what a person making the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour earns for a full-time job. It’s time to do something about that.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/05/01/new-york-on-15000-a-year/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/30/type-2-diabetes-epidemic-among-u-s-kids-worsens/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/30/type-2-diabetes-epidemic-among-u-s-kids-worsens/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:13:41 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5997
By Tony Guida

(CBS News) There is a growing epidemic among American children, and now there is a new recommendation on how hundreds of thousands of those kids should be treated.

The problem is type 2 diabetes, and it is a problem that is confounding more doctors, families, and health care professionals every day.

CBS News correspondent Tony Guida reports type 2 diabetes was never seen in young people as recently as 15 years ago. Now it's occurring with alarming frequency. Doctors know that a major risk factor is obesity. Beyond that, they were mostly in the dark about this disease.

]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/30/type-2-diabetes-epidemic-among-u-s-kids-worsens/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/27/nurses-association-wins-retirement-funds-owed-to-cvph-employees/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/27/nurses-association-wins-retirement-funds-owed-to-cvph-employees/#comments Fri, 27 Apr 2012 05:49:50 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5995

Massive settlement totals more than $242,000 for extensive calculation errors over three years

PLATTSBURGH, April 26, 2012 – In a significant settlement negotiated by their union, 143 employees of Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital Center (CVPH) will share a total of $242,396 in back payments to their retirement savings plan.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/27/nurses-association-wins-retirement-funds-owed-to-cvph-employees/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/26/reverse-mortgage-industry-has-a-new-advocate-with-real-credibility/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/26/reverse-mortgage-industry-has-a-new-advocate-with-real-credibility/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:45:47 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5991

Melville, NY (PRWEB) April 25, 2012

Industry veteran Jason Levy CEO of Senior Home Loans, announced today that their new spokes person will be none other than Wayne Rogers from the hit television show M*A*S*H.

Wayne Rogers, known for his acting role as Trapper John from the long-running TV series M.A.S.H., has signed on to a national reverse mortgage ad campaign representing Senior Home Loans, a division of Continental Home Loans.

]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/26/reverse-mortgage-industry-has-a-new-advocate-with-real-credibility/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/26/rwdsu-local-338-statement-on-mayors-veto-of-prevailing-wage-bill/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/26/rwdsu-local-338-statement-on-mayors-veto-of-prevailing-wage-bill/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:45:28 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5976

Growing income inequality in Michael Bloomberg's New York City has become a national disgrace. More than forty percent of all income in New York City goes to one percent of the population. Good jobs have been replaced by poverty wage jobs.

]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/26/rwdsu-local-338-statement-on-mayors-veto-of-prevailing-wage-bill/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/26/nysna-meets-with-state-comptroller-dinapoli/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/26/nysna-meets-with-state-comptroller-dinapoli/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:18:37 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5973

More than 20 NYSNA leaders met with New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli last week, as NYSNA raises its profile in Albany to benefit our 37,000 members.

Leaders from hospitals across the state attended the meeting: from the Big Apple’s HHC system to Oneida County, from the Bronx and Brooklyn to Westchester Medical Center.

This was NYSNA’s first meeting with DiNapoli, the sole trustee of several public pension funds, and his office audits all public entities such as Westchester and Erie County Medical Centers.

]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/26/nysna-meets-with-state-comptroller-dinapoli/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/24/insurers-alter-cost-formula-and-patients-pay-more/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/24/insurers-alter-cost-formula-and-patients-pay-more/#comments Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:04:37 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5967

By NINA BERNSTEIN

Despite a landmark settlement that was expected to increase coverage for out-of-network care, the nation’s largest health insurers have been switching to a new payment method that in most cases significantly increases the cost to the patient.

The settlement, reached in 2009, followed New York State’s accusation that the companies manipulated data they used to price such care, shortchanging the nation’s patients by hundreds of millions of dollars.

The agreement required the companies to finance an objective database of doctors’ fees that patients and insurers nationally could rely on. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, then the attorney general, said it would increase reimbursements by as much as 28 percent.

]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/24/insurers-alter-cost-formula-and-patients-pay-more/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/23/multiple-paths-to-a-goal-by-balcony-co-chair-bill-ayres/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/23/multiple-paths-to-a-goal-by-balcony-co-chair-bill-ayres/#comments Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:12:42 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5962



April 21, 2012

I’M an only child. I decided early on that I needed the equivalent of brothers and sisters, so over my lifetime I’ve created deep relationships.

My maternal grandmother told me to try to see the good in everyone, and that stayed with me. I had a sense of wanting to be part of a community. I also grew up with a tremendous desire to fight against injustice and prejudice.

When I was 15, I noticed that one person would suggest that I do something one way, while someone else would refute that. I realized that there is more than one way to accomplish a goal. ]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/23/multiple-paths-to-a-goal-by-balcony-co-chair-bill-ayres/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/19/greater-new-york-chamber-of-commerce-balcony-and-nyc-hispanic-chamber-of-commerce-to-conduct-health-care-insurance-workshops-for-small-businesses/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/19/greater-new-york-chamber-of-commerce-balcony-and-nyc-hispanic-chamber-of-commerce-to-conduct-health-care-insurance-workshops-for-small-businesses/#comments Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:56:00 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5949



For Immediate Release: April 19, 2012 New York, NY – The Greater New York Chamber of Commerce and the Business and Labor Coalition of New York (BALCONY,) along with the New York Hispanic Chamber of Commerce have been awarded a grant to help small businesses with health care and health insurance issues.

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), states can establish Health Insurance Exchanges where individuals and small businesses can shop for, and enroll in, health coverage. Last Thursday Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an Executive Order creating a Health Insurance Exchange in New York.

The Community Service Society, which awarded the grant to the GNYCC and BALCONY, and a dozen other groups, has established a Small Business Assistance Program (SBAP) to educate small companies about the new law and inform them of their options in choosing the best insurance plan for their employees.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/19/greater-new-york-chamber-of-commerce-balcony-and-nyc-hispanic-chamber-of-commerce-to-conduct-health-care-insurance-workshops-for-small-businesses/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/18/balcony-submits-testimony-to-nys-senate-nys-minimum-wage-must-be-raised-to-8-50/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/18/balcony-submits-testimony-to-nys-senate-nys-minimum-wage-must-be-raised-to-8-50/#comments Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:58:47 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5944

New York State Minimum Wage Must Be Raised to $8.50

By Lou Gordon, Director, Business and Labor Coalition of New York

The Business and Labor Coalition of New York submitted the following testimony to the New York State Senate Democratic Conference's Minimum Wage Public Forum on April 18, 2012:

New York needs a minimum wage that helps families struggling to make ends meet. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver unanimously agree on this – and we at the Business and Labor Coalition of New York, BALCONY, heartily agree with them in principle.

However, we believe that simply raising the minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.50 is not enough. We, like the Fiscal Policy Institute, believe the state must increase, enact and phase-in $10 an hour minimum wage, starting at $8.50 and gradually increasing to $10 in 2014. ]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/18/balcony-submits-testimony-to-nys-senate-nys-minimum-wage-must-be-raised-to-8-50/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/16/small-biz-pilot/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/16/small-biz-pilot/#comments Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:18:16 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5931

The Community Service Society of New York awarded $500,000 in grants to 13 organizations in the state to take part in a new program that will educate small business owners about health insurance issues. To help ensure that New York's Small Business Exchange best meets the needs of the state's employers, CSS is launching a pilot Small Business Assistance Program to educate small businesses about the health reform law, address their current insurance coverage needs and help inform the design and development of the Small Business Exchange. Among the organizations—each received between $30,000 and $70,000 for the 11-month period—are the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corp., and New York Women's Chamber of Commerce. The community groups will develop presentations and offer one-on-one counseling for several thousand small business owners on topics like small business tax credits, public coverage options and COBRA. Information about the pilot is at www.communityhealthadvocates.org .

Read the release: Pilot]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/16/small-biz-pilot/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/13/5m-state-tax-deal-helps-investment-giant-blackrock/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/13/5m-state-tax-deal-helps-investment-giant-blackrock/#comments Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:17:33 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5929

ALBANY — A few words tucked into the state budget will mean at least $5 million in tax savings for BlackRock, the world's largest investment manager.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/13/5m-state-tax-deal-helps-investment-giant-blackrock/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/12/governor-cuomo-issues-executive-order-establishing-statewide-health-exchange/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/12/governor-cuomo-issues-executive-order-establishing-statewide-health-exchange/#comments Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:52:16 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5926 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/12/governor-cuomo-issues-executive-order-establishing-statewide-health-exchange/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/12/health-affairs-at-the-intersection-of-health-health-care-and-policy/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/12/health-affairs-at-the-intersection-of-health-health-care-and-policy/#comments Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:17:50 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5923
The Affordable Care Act Lays the Groundwork for a National Diabetes Prevention and Treatment Strategy

ABSTRACT

The Affordable Care Act includes several provisions that could create a comprehensive approach to preventing and treating diabetes and other chronic health conditions. The current prevention and treatment system is an unconnected, silo-based approach, which reduces the effectiveness and increases the cost of health care. This article presents a three-part proposal: expand the Diabetes Prevention Program nationally; build care coordination through health teams into the traditional Medicare program; and use these teams to connect public health, prevention, and treatment. Enrollment in evidence-based lifestyle modification programs—specifically, those focused on excess weight— should be added as a covered benefit under Medicare with no cost sharing. Funding for the Medicare component could be provided through the budget of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. The proposal in its totality has the potential for improving health outcomes and reducing costs.

Read the entire report: Diabetes]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/12/health-affairs-at-the-intersection-of-health-health-care-and-policy/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/11/state-employees-deserve-their-pensions/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/11/state-employees-deserve-their-pensions/#comments Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:19:53 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5921

By David Michael

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s vowed to reform the state pension system (“Cuomo pushes pension reform,” Feb. 24) and he followed through (“Albany pulls all-nighter, passes pension reform, redistricting,” March 15). The impression a reader could get is that the pension system has been an unchanged burden on the citizens who do not work for the state. This, however, could not be further from the truth.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/11/state-employees-deserve-their-pensions/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/11/expert-touts-sen-frankens-diabetes-prevention-measure-as-key-to-reining-in-nations-health-care-costs/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/11/expert-touts-sen-frankens-diabetes-prevention-measure-as-key-to-reining-in-nations-health-care-costs/#comments Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:11:41 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5918
A top diabetes expert told U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and other members of a Senate health panel Wednesday that Sen. Franken’s National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) is key to reining in the nation’s health care costs.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/04/11/expert-touts-sen-frankens-diabetes-prevention-measure-as-key-to-reining-in-nations-health-care-costs/feed/ 0