Effort to give Gov. Hochul effective control of NUMC board advances, sources say
A view of Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow. State lawmakers are finalizing details on changing the governance structure of the financially troubled Nassau University Medical Center to give Gov. Kathy Hochul effective control of its board, sources say. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
ALBANY — State lawmakers are finalizing details on changing the governance structure of the financially troubled Nassau University Medical Center to give Gov. Kathy Hochul effective control of its board, multiple sources said Friday.
And the abrupt departure of NUMC’s board chairman late Thursday adds new urgency to the takeover, officials said.
As first reported by Newsday, Hochul and lawmakers have been discussing a takeover for weeks, with the goal of inserting the necessary legislation inside a state budget deal, which lawmakers are nearing.
"It’s highly likely this will be included in the budget," said one source with knowledge of the negotiations, who said it’s a matter of solidifying the details.
"It’s 99% certain," added another source familiar with the negotiations.
One proposal has been for an 11-member board, four appointed by the governor, one by the Democratic-led State Senate, one by the Democratic-led State Assembly and one by the Democrats in the Nassau County Legislature. The other four selections would come from Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, and the GOP in the county legislature.
A final detail being nailed down is how soon the new board would take effect — with some wanting it to happen in a matter of weeks.
Nassau Health Care Corp., the entity that runs the medical center, is more than $500 million in debt and asked the state for a bailout a year ago.
The state has been sending aid to NUMC via a special fund for distressed hospitals. But Blakeman has been blaming Albany for the hospital's financial woes and recently led a lawsuit claiming state government owes NUMC more than $1 billion.
Even though talks about a new board have been ongoing, there's a new momentum for installing a new governing body after Blakeman abruptly replaced Matthew Bruderman as NUMC chairman late Thursday, one state legislator said.
"It's time," Assemb. Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove), dean of Nassau's Democratic delegation to the State Legislature, said Friday.
"The timing of this should convince anyone who is on the fence that legislation is necessary to install leadership with integrity and dedication to purpose," Lavine told Newsday.
Last fall, Hochul’s administration began talks with Blakeman and the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, which monitors county and NHCC finances, on a possible long-term strategy to put the hospital in better financial position.
But Blakeman and NUMC recently changed direction, launching an ad campaign blaming Hochul for the hospital’s problems.
SARRA SOUNDS OFF: The shortage of game officials on LI On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," Newsday's Gregg Sarra talks to young people who are turning to game officiating as a new career path.
SARRA SOUNDS OFF: The shortage of game officials on LI On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," Newsday's Gregg Sarra talks to young people who are turning to game officiating as a new career path.
