When President Bill Clinton was trying to carry out health reform in the mid-'90s, he stumbled across an idea thought up by some academics at a meeting in Jackson Hole, Wyo. They believed health care costs could be brought down by starting a regulated marketplace in which a certain pool of consumers would shop for pre-approved private health plans.

Hours after the State Senate voted down same-sex marriage bill last year, hundreds of angry supporters of the bill gathered for a rally in Times Square. A list was circulated to gather names of people

Professional lobbyists have been in high gear over state budget negotiations for months. But amid the schmoozing, a small group of pharmacists is trying to find its way around Albany too, taking time off from day jobs, switching their white coats for suits and knocking on legislators' doors.

One of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's first actions as mayor was to try and pull nurses from parochial schools. A year later, he cut dozens of school nursing jobs. Every year since, has tried to scale back the program. Under this year's proposed budget, Bloomberg has targeted them again.

The fate of St. Vincent’s in Lower Manhattan is part of a trend engulfing hospitals across the state.