Maya Kaufman

At New York-Presbyterian, 3,099 union members voted down a tentative deal and 867 voted "yes."

Montefiore and Mount Sinai nurses approved new contracts and will end their strike.

A breaking news update on the NYSNA nurses strike… Mount Sinai and Montefiore have tentative deals.

More details to come.

‘Anything is possible’: How Jeffrey Epstein received special treatment at one of the country’s elite hospitals The convicted sex offender enjoyed unusually close access to Mount Sinai doctors, records show.

‘Anything is possible’:
How Jeffrey Epstein received special treatment at one of the country’s elite hospitals www.politico.com/news/2026/02...

In 2019, Mount Sinai said it gave the amount received from Epstein to an internal program and a charity "focused on preventing human trafficking and sexual exploitation."

It still hasn't identified this charity — or confirmed how much Epstein gave in total.

We tallied at least $250K...

‘Major Trustee, Please Prioritize’: How NYU’s E.R. Favors the Rich (Published 2022)

The new details add to a pattern of preferential treatment of wealthy patients by major New York City hospitals that are registered charities and thus tax-exempt.

This by Sarah Kliff + @jsgatnyt.bsky.social uncovered similar behavior at NYU.
www.nytimes.com/2022/12/22/h...

How Epstein’s wealth opened doors at a prestigious New York hospital The convicted sex offender enjoyed unusually close access to Mount Sinai doctors, records show.

NEW: A look at how Jeffrey Epstein’s tremendous wealth and connections opened doors at a prestigious New York City hospital — from a 24/7 hotline for the "board and donor community" to house calls.
www.politico.com/news/2026/02...

Thousands of nurses are striking across the country. Why? New York. California. Hawaii.

Tune in to WAMU's @the1a.org at 11am today to hear me discuss the @nynurses.bsky.social strike in New York City.
the1a.org/segments/tho...

POLITICO Pro: Mamdani names Alister Martin new NYC health commissioner The physician is best known for spearheading a campaign to register ER patients to vote.

NEWS: @mayor.nyc.gov names @alisterfmartin.bsky.social as the next commissioner of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Martin is an ER doctor known for spearheading a national campaign, "Vot-ER," to register patients to vote.
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026...

POLITICO Pro: Insurance dispute at Mount Sinai could leave striking nurses in the lurch For nurses on strike, the fight over their health benefits may not end with the picket line.

New from me today: An ongoing insurance dispute at Mount Sinai could leave thousands of striking nurses out-of-network for care at their own workplace, even after they have a new union contract in hand.
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026...

POLITICO Pro: Insurance dispute at Mount Sinai could leave striking nurses in the lurch For nurses on strike, the fight over their health benefits may not end with the picket line.

New from me today: An ongoing insurance dispute at Mount Sinai could leave thousands of striking nurses out-of-network for care at their own workplace, even after they have a new union contract in hand.
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026...

No. 56.2: Extending the Declaration of a Disaster Emergency in the Counties of Bronx, New York, and Contiguous Counties Due to Healthcare Staffing Shortages in the State of New York Extending the Declaration of a Disaster Emergency in the Counties of Bronx, New York, and Contiguous Counties Due to Healthcare Staffing Shortages in the State of New York

NEWS: @governor.ny.gov has extended her executive order temporarily loosening licensing rules for health care workers due to the @nynurses.bsky.social strike.

It was set to expire tomorrow and now runs through Feb. 2.
www.governor.ny.gov/executive-or...

Nurses describe escalating tension as NYC strike continues The nurses’ strike at Montefiore, Mount Sinai and New York-Presbyterian hospitals entered its fifth day Friday.

Well before nearly 15,000 nurses across NYC went on strike this week, tensions were already high.

@nynurses.bsky.social discovered Mount Sinai had changed the locks to its on-site offices...

Lots of new reporting in this one on the NYSNA nurses strike ⤵️
www.politico.com/news/2026/01...

‘No shortage of wealth’: Mamdani, other Democrats chide NYC hospital executives over nurses’ strike The NYC mayor said the historic strike is about “who deserves to benefit from this system.”

At the @nynurses.bsky.social picket line, @mayor.nyc.gov Zohran Mamdani said the strike raises the question of "who deserves to benefit" from the complicated and costly U.S. health care system.

“There is no shortage of wealth in the health care industry," he said.
www.politico.com/news/2026/01...

New York does not appear to have fined any health insurers for inaccurate provider directories since Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a new regulation to “eliminate so-called ‘ghost networks,’" @maxblau.bsky.social reports.

Are you a nurse going on strike?
Did you travel to New York City to fill in during the strike?
Do you have a loved one hospitalized at one of the impacted facilities?

I want to hear about your experience! I can keep you anonymous if need be.

Reach out to mayakaufman.11 on Signal.

'They're ready for us to walk': Nurses at top NYC hospitals prep for historic strike Approximately 16,000 nurses at Montefiore, Mount Sinai and New York-Presbyterian have yet to agree on new union contracts.

Catch up here on what's going on: www.politico.com/news/2026/01...

BREAKING: @nynurses.bsky.social announces the start of the "largest nurse strike in New York City history," with nearly 15,000 nurses walking out this morning at Montefiore, New York-Presbyterian and Mount Sinai facilities.

'They're ready for us to walk': Nurses at top NYC hospitals prep for historic strike Approximately 16,000 nurses at Montefiore, Mount Sinai and New York-Presbyterian have yet to agree on new union contracts.

One individual briefed on the negotiations told POLITICO there has been so little back and forth on core economic issues, such as wages, that they believe a strike appears increasingly inevitable.
www.politico.com/news/2026/01...

BREAKING: @nynurses.bsky.social announces full, tentative contract agreements with 4 safety-net hospitals where they previously rescinded strike notices.

- Interfaith (part of One Brooklyn Health)
- Kingsbrook Jewish (part of One Brooklyn Health)
- Flushing Hospital
- Maimonides

POLITICO Pro: Nurses at several New York City hospitals call off strike The New York State Nurses Association said five hospitals had agreed to fully fund health care benefits and enact new protections around AI, understaffing and workplace violence.

About 17,000 nurses in New York City and on Long Island could still go on strike as soon as Monday. Most of those work for big health systems -- Northwell, New York-Presbyterian, Mount Sinai, Montefiore.

More details here.
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026...

NEWS: Nurses at 5 hospitals in New York City have called off a potential strike as they settle new @nynurses.bsky.social contracts.

- Interfaith (part of One Brooklyn Health)
- Kingsbrook Jewish (part of One Brooklyn Health)
- Maimonides
- Wyckoff Heights
- Richmond University Medical Center

The New York State Department of Health @nysdoh.bsky.social announces the state is experiencing the highest number of flu hospitalizations (4,546) recorded in a single week. That's 1,000 more flu hospitalizations than the prior week.

Bureaucracy as tragedy: The Eric Adams era draws to a close The eccentric city executive leaves office with a tarnished legacy bound up with the future of Black political power in New York City.

Lots of Eric Adams political obits landing this week as his one term as NYC's mayor comes to an end. But you really should read this by my POLITICO colleague Joe Anuta.
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...

POLITICO Pro: Hochul expected to sign gender-affirming care protection The governor is poised to back the measure just after the Trump administration announced a proposal to block gender-related care for minors.

Gov. Kathy Hochul is expected to sign a bill expanding New York's legal protections for gender-affirming care providers and patients, @bradhoylmansigal.bsky.social tells POLITICO Pro.
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...

RFK Jr.’s vaccine advisers plan biggest change yet to childhood schedule The new chair of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices said the panel plans to vote to end universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth and to scrutinize if childhood shots cause allergies.

NEW: In an interview w/ me, new chair of ACIP says they are planning to vote on ending practice of vaccinating all newborns for hepatitis B and to examine whether childhood immunization schedule is behind rise of allergies and autoimmune disorders.
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

RELEASE: STANDING UP TO PROTECT JOURNALISM FROM AI SLOP | The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA On the heels of a ground-breaking arbitration win at POLITICO, NewsGuild-CWA members launch national campaign and week of action on AI.

RELEASE: NewsGuild journalists are sounding the alarm – media companies are undermining public trust with unethical AI in the newsroom.

Today, we launch #NewsNotSlop, a national campaign kicking off a Week of Action on AI, December 1–5.

newsguild.org/release-stan...

A neutral arbiter agrees: @politico.com violated our contract and its own journalistic standards when it deployed AI.

Our readers deserve news, not slop!

wbng.org/2025/12/01/p...

PEN Guild wins landmark arbitration on AI protections - Washington-Baltimore News Guild This marks one of the first major labor-arbitration rulings on the impact of AI on journalism, setting an important precedent for the U.S. news industry.

Exciting news: my union @pen-guild.bsky.social won our fight to hold management accountable for rolling out AI tools with no notice & for failing to hold the bots to the same standards all of us humans must follow — in violation of the contract they agreed to. A neutral arbiter said we were right!

ICE is hiring dozens of health workers as lawsuits, deaths in custody mount Nearly as many migrants have died in detention so far this year than over the four years of the Biden administration.

NEW with @ruthreader.bsky.social: Nearly as many migrants have died in custody so far this year than over the 4 yrs of the Biden admin. ICE is hiring dozens more medical workers, but former insiders are skeptical the deaths will stop w/o more fundamental reforms. www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

Gov. Hochul vetoed a @jamesskoufis.bsky.social @johnmcdonald108.bsky.social bill to require insurers to reimburse pharmacists for patient consultations on birth control, saying it would burden insurers with "significant" new costs and raise premiums.

But NY's insurance lobby hadn't taken a stance.