Sunday, November 26, 2006
Overhauling New York’s Health Care: Forces Align, for Now
New York Times Danny Hakim
"ALBANY, Nov. 24 — It is arguably the most fearsome independent political force in Albany, a union that provided the muscle that helped assure Gov. George E. Pataki’s re-election to a third term. And before this year’s election, the union, 1199 United Healthcare Workers East, told Eliot Spitzer that it would endorse him, too, at the time and place of his choosing, people with knowledge of the discussions said.
But after having received nearly $150,000 in political contributions over the years, Mr. Spitzer rebuffed the union and never asked for its public endorsement.
Now the governor-elect and the union, led by its longtime president, Dennis Rivera, are on something of a collision course as Mr. Spitzer seeks to overhaul the state’s costly health care system, which is sure to include the closing of several hospitals."
for the rest of this article....click here andy
"ALBANY, Nov. 24 — It is arguably the most fearsome independent political force in Albany, a union that provided the muscle that helped assure Gov. George E. Pataki’s re-election to a third term. And before this year’s election, the union, 1199 United Healthcare Workers East, told Eliot Spitzer that it would endorse him, too, at the time and place of his choosing, people with knowledge of the discussions said.
But after having received nearly $150,000 in political contributions over the years, Mr. Spitzer rebuffed the union and never asked for its public endorsement.
Now the governor-elect and the union, led by its longtime president, Dennis Rivera, are on something of a collision course as Mr. Spitzer seeks to overhaul the state’s costly health care system, which is sure to include the closing of several hospitals."
for the rest of this article....click here andy
