A second fatal subway pushing in less than a month has renewed focus on a New York law that requires some mentally ill people to get psychiatric treatment.

The man charged by Governor Cuomo with devising a rescue plan for Brooklyn’s struggling hospitals says 2012 was a “lost year” – and 2013 could bring more bad news.

Scientists are identifying more and more genetic mutations that increase the risk of cancer and other diseases. There often isn’t much people can do—though a small but growing number of people do have one radical option: surgically remove a seemingly healthy body part that could turn deadly some day. 

The temporary shut-down of Bellevue’s psychiatric ward has led to concerns about possible crowding at the other facilities where patients have ended up—including Kings County Hospital Center, which had a troubled record of caring for the mentally ill even before Sandy struck.

WNYC reporter Fred Mogul updates the state of area hospitals after the storm.

The Manhattan V.A. Hospital — which was damaged severely by Sandy — will partly re-open next March, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. But officials don't know when the heart of the 170-bed facility will come back online.

The man in charge of federally funded medical research will be touring NYU Langone Medical Center Friday to look at damage caused by Sandy.

State health officials are asking the federal government for almost a half-billion dollars worth of special Medicaid funding for hospitals, nursing homes and clinics affected by Sandy.

With four local hospitals closed because of Sandy, thousands of patients are scrambling to find other medical centers to treat everything from broken bones to brain cancer. The changes are causing inconvenience to some, but could be a mixed blessing for the hospitals on the receiving end. 

After two weeks in special needs evacuation shelters, hundreds of adult home residents are hoping to move to longer-term housing — and Sandy may be speeding up the trend of moving mentally disabled adults out of institutions and into independent-living arrangements.

New York Downtown Hospital has fully re-opened, while a handful of other hospitals remain closed, following severe storm damage last week.

New York University Langone Medical Center reopened many of its outpatient offices, and the 600 students in the medical school went back to classes – but it’s still not clear when the hospital will open its emergency room, surgical suites and labor and delivery ward.

After days operating on a backup generator, Bellevue Hospital is "pulling the plug," according to one official. About 500 patients, including about 50 prisoners from city jails, are being evacuated.

The City Council is starting a new volunteer drive aimed at recruiting people to help escort women to abortion clinics, past protestors.

An outbreak of contagious meningitis unrelated to the larger one spreading across the country is sending some New York City men to clinics for vaccines.

Lead poisoning is declining among city children as landlords renovate apartments, builders add new housing units and health officials boost education and enforcement actions, experts say.

Governors around the country are deliberating whether to opt in to the Affordable Care Act, including Gov. Chris Christie. The outcome of next month's election could factor into Christie's decision, and make the difference for millions of health care consumers in our area.

City Health officials are investigating a cluster of meningitis that has killed one man and left another in critical condition. There have been four cases among HIV-positive men over the last month. The cases are spread across several boroughs, and among men ages 31 to 42 years old.

After almost a decade where an increasing number of city residents tossed away their cigarettes, smoking went up slightly last year, according to new Health Department figures.

Around 20 percent of New York City residents visit hospital emergency rooms annually, according to a new report — and in some neighborhoods it's twice that.