From today's Daily News editorial:Paterson had nothing to do with the hospitals' demise, nor did any responsible state or city official believe there was a cost-effective way to save them.
Actually, Paterson is directly responsible because the state's Berger Commission deemed the hospitals vital to their communities and called for the closure of other hospitals based on these two being open. The fact is that he and Malcolm Smith could have arranged for the health care stimulus money to be spent here. I don't know what elected officials the Daily News has been speaking with (Bloomberg?), because there were many at the rallies who requested a measly $36 million dollars (with oversight) to temporarily pump up the hospitals until they could be taken over by another entity. No, these hospitals were intentionally closed by Paterson and Smith because they were asked to by someone who wants to buy some real estate at a fire sale price and bust the union in the process.
Remember when the Daily News used to investigate the real reasons for why things happen instead of defending slimeball politicians?
Here's the ultimate irony: St. John's was designated as a stroke center last September by Paterson's Department of Health only to be ordered closed by them in February. The hospitals were packed up until three weeks ago. They were needed in their communities and now people are going to suffer and die because the state would rather spend money on frivolous pork than spend it on saving lives. Think about that next time you see a highway sign for the "Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge".
24 comments:
Bloomberg must have showed Paterson how to buy editorials to boost approval ratings.
Not sure what hospitals the Daily News is referring to, because both MIH and SJQH received overhauls in the 1990s and 2000s that provided them with state of the art equipment. They also were both teaching hospitals.
Yes it was much better to put 2,500 people out of work and add $40M to the unemployment rolls than to provide $36M to keep the hospitals open.
SJQH has to one of the worst hospitals in NYC. Honestly, would any of you go there even for a splinter removal?
I am against closing overcrowded hospitals but St. Johns is aweful.
Paterson is a fill-in Governor - read token Lt. who became Gov by default.
Folks - lesson #1 - Examine any #2 on a ticketunder a microscope and # 2 on any ticket - Look at the National pic - Joe Biden Vp ( 1 of the 3 stooges)
Paterson is short lived and comes from the Rangle / Dinken's club and school of failures except for personally enriching one's self later on.
Maybe we should pull support for any specialty eye care hospitals - as he already believes we are sightless, deaf and dumb too.
"Honestly, would any of you go there even for a splinter removal?"
Hundreds of people did daily, asshole.
"No, these hospitals were intentionally closed by Paterson and Smith because they were asked to by someone who wants to buy some real estate at a fire sale price and bust the union in the process."
Finally! Someone says it outright.
So taxpayers have poured over $50 million into the hospitals already, they have been at capacity, and they were still losing money? The problem has to do with the hospital, not the government. Why keep pouring taxpayer money into a hospital that can't seem to manage its finances?
Also, St. John's hospital did have a terrible reputation. Ideally, a different hospital organization can take over the facilities and start over.
Do you not understand what the term "with oversight" means? Do you realize that these hospitals primarily treated the indigent who will become more of a burden on the City hospitals anyway? Do you not understand that they had lower reimbursement rates that in part led to their demise?
And compared to Elmhurst and Wyckoff, St. John's was like a Lenox Hill Hospital.
"Also, St. John's hospital did have a terrible reputation. Ideally, a different hospital organization can take over the facilities and start over."
Arrgggh, sometimes I feel in these hospital posts that some of us are speaking a different language, unable to make ourselves understood
No one ever suggested that the hospital continue under the CURRENT management & board of directors. It was the EMPLOYEES themselves who have been screaming for change.
But the fact is the hospital did not have to be closed & 3,000 put out of work for that to occur.
It could have been restructured, getting rid of the dead wood, and not placing a burden on surrounding hospitals.
All we are saying is these hospitals were not closed because they NEEDED to be, nor that they were on the Berger Commision's list to close.
Someone WANTED them closed & made sure it happened faster than I've ever seen anything happen in this city. Just stop & consider that for a minute.
"The problem has to do with the hospital, not the government. Why keep pouring taxpayer money into a hospital that can't seem to manage its finances?"
So does the banks, and government (able to manage their oops (the taxpayers) so why are they still running?
In 2004, during the Republican Convention, President Bush visited firefighters in the Italian Charities Bldg. on Queens Blvd. For two days prior to the visit there were "No Parking" signs on the Boulevard from Italian Charities eastward to St. John's Hospital. That's because the Secret Service always has a hospital "at the ready" during a presidential visit somewhere. St. John's was that designated hospital.
"So taxpayers have poured over $50 million into the hospitals already, they have been at capacity, and they were still losing money? The problem has to do with the hospital, not the government. Why keep pouring taxpayer money into a hospital that can't seem to manage its finances?"
That's bullshit! The hospital should be managing people that need care, not its finances! I am so sick these assholes putting a price tag on a human life! I for one would not have a problem sending my tax dollars to a hospital, I DO have a problem sending my tax dollars to AIG! That's a business that should be concerned with its finances, not a hospital dammit!!!!!
Look, the clubhouse is beating up on the governor because he made Caroline Kennedy look incompetent (which is a political no-no because, well so many of our 'heros' are in reality, not so bright. She was a darling of the old guard Democrats and would have been a fantastic fundraiser)
His other sin - throwing that other clubhouse sacred cow, union members, particularly immigrant union members, out of work.
The reality is everyone is to blame, from the bumbling city council (did they not vote themselves a fat raise recently?) to our congressial delegation spending large sums of money on frivolous things (take a look at recent postings on Weiner and Ackerman)
Paterson has simply ticked off the organization and all that is happening is bashing him.
This does nothing to open the hospitals and nothing to get the community interested.
I am so sick these assholes putting a price tag on a human life!
I AM SICK OF PAYING FOR HEALTHCARE FOR ILLEGALS SO PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN LANDMARK DISTRICTS CAN HAVE CHEAP NANNIES, CHEAP LABOR, AND TENNANTS THAT LIVE IN SQUALOR.
Whenever I hear the traffic reporter on the radio mention the RFK Bridge, I feel like calling in and complaining.
If every radio listener were to follow my lead, maybe the radio stations would revert to using the name Triboro.
I would make every effort not to use these hospitals but many poor people did. The same poor people that liberals always seem to defend. Chuck Schumer wants 100-million stimulus money to go to a Moynahan Amtrak Station in Manhattan while these two hospitals will close and these poor people will not have the healthcare they so desperately need. When election time comes all the lemmings will run to pull the Democrat ticket and Chuck and other NY Liberals will win with 80% of the vote. Truly the ignorant voter is the most costly burden on society.
I would make every effort not to use these hospitals but many poor people did.
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Because the tweeders are the most racist people around. THEIR kids go to private schools, THEY vacation in the little enclaves by the shore.
THEY know the people in the community will not complain. Having immigrants, particularly illegal aliens, in your district is a politican's dream.
Do you not understand that they had lower reimbursement rates that in part led to their demise?
And compared to Elmhurst and Wyckoff, St. John's was like a Lenox Hill Hospital.
SJH saved many of my neighbors lives, including my own when I was a kid. My parents were hospitalized there and treated always with respect and dignity.
A few ago though - I drove a neighbor there whom was very ill which later turn out she had a failing kidney. The following day I went to see her and found she was still waiting for care and that beds were not available anyway. I saw the reason why - the emergency room was full of large families getting treated for ordinary ailments and that there was a considerable wait. Someone on the staff pulled me aside and informed me that financially this was the reason Hospital across the city were not solvent - every hospital in NYC had to accept walk ins to the emergency room to be treated regardless if they can pay or not. What the staffer said, 70% of these folks are working the system - they are illegals and know they cannot be turned away.
Gov. Patterson - You need to understand the good and bad about hospitals - they do serve us all. SJH was a modest but caring place.
Does Phony Tony Como know what a budget is?
No.
Did some of the budget got into builting his mansion?
Yes.
I would make every effort not to use these hospitals but many poor people did. The same poor people that liberals always seem to defend.
To the asshole who made that statement, Poor or rich, white or black, young or old, IT WAS A HOSPITAL!!!!!! The only thing that mattered was life or death so shut up and keep your stupid comments to yourself you idiot!!
America is becoming a third world nation, America is becoming a third world nation, America is becoming a third world nation!
We have moral obligations to the sick, to the poor, to the hungry, to prisoners, to all those ugly, unwanted people, one of whom may be you someday.
Why could I get help when I became sick as an American tourist in Ireland in 1964, and I cannot get basic treatment here as a taxpaying worker?
If you owe hospitals, dentists and doctors, don't make them the last bill you pay, and if you have some "mad money" put it to charity instead of self-indulgence. It would make a good start this lent.
Paterson & Bloomberg will be ghosts soon.
NO POLITICIAN WHO IS THE JOB DURING A FINANCIAL RECESSION/DEPRESSION
DOES VERY WELL WITH THE VOTERS WHO WILL ULTIMATELY HOLD THEM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS.
BOTH OF YOU JUST KEEP ON SLASHING THE SERVICES THAT PEOPLE REQUIRE WHILE YOU'RE RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION TO BOOST YOUR "POPULARITY"!
Their political careers will soon vanish like the rust stain in my bathtub after I've poured in some Clorox!
NO THIRD TERM FOR "HIZZONER"!
NO SECOND TERM FOR OUR "FILL-IN GUV"!
it is sad to read all these comments. people blaming the poor,the illegals..the reasons the hospitals failed was becouse of greed period. the DOH and caritas were all in it together..from the days of St.Vincents to the sale to wykoff those two hospitals were meant to fail. When two hospitals provide the services that they did there was no reason to close them..in albany malcom smith said that we can save one hospital not both,well none survived. in albany they said( that being our bullshit politcians )that caritas smelled of corruption ,they could not understand how all the money that was giving to the hospitals did not help. they said we will force them to open the books and we will find out what really happened..Ohh how stupid we were to believe that these politicians would actually do that..two hospitals sit closed 2,500 people lost their jobs and the greedy got their riches..North Shore will get the property they coveted so much thats st.johns,and somebody will get MIH to build whatever they want..i believe that somebody with a heart will bring MIH back,maybe with a new name but still the hospital of the poor,,and when it succeeds then people will be scratching their heads and ask what the hell...but of course our politicians already know that..GOD BLESS all becouse with his help MARY IMMACULATE WILL RISE AGAIN JUST AS HIS SON JESUS DID...
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