Blakeman, Bruderman are playing a dangerous blame game on NUMC

It’s the blame game.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and Nassau University Medical Center chairman Matthew Bruderman are taking that easy yet dangerous path, attempting to shirk responsibility for the emergency engulfing NUMC and its public health corporation, Nassau Health Care Corp. Too often, they seem to be manipulating information to fit their narrative.

Blakeman’s argument: NUMC has cut expenditures, increased revenues, and is “doing a good job” managing its financial house.

Reality: As of last month, NUMC had $19 million cash on hand. Consultants estimate the hospital could be in the red come late April, which could mean it misses payroll.

Blakeman’s argument: State funding has fallen with a Republican as county executive, from $189 million in 2017 to $30 million in 2023. Bruderman said state funding fell from $170 million to $30 million.

Reality: The county did not provide detailed breakdowns of these numbers. Some state funding dried up over time as temporary state and federal programs expired. Yet, state budget officials say, since Blakeman took office, state funding to NUMC rose from $101.2 million in 2021 when he was elected, to $164.9 million last year.

NUMC’s argument: Bruderman, in a town hall last week, said the state is “trying to suffocate . . . and kill” the hospital. Hospital officials say the state isn’t giving them enough cash to boost the operating budget, that the state is highlighting gross amounts rather than net, and that it operates on a different fiscal year, making numbers not comparable.

Reality: Bruderman is not including other sources of state funding in his analysis, including payments on NUMC’s outstanding debts, capital funds and other pots of pledged revenue. In 2023, for instance, the state paid $60 million on NUMC’s behalf to the New York State Health Insurance Program, which is threatening to cut off health insurance to current workers. NUMC’s extraordinary debt for failing to pay insurance premiums has ballooned to $310 million.

NUMC’s argument: Some state money from incentive and pilot programs was split between multiple hospital systems, so NUMC never saw the full amount.

Reality: NUMC is correct. State budget officials attributed $655.6 million from those programs between 2016 and 2020 specifically as NUMC dollars. But the program requires those funds to go through an intermediary, and then be distributed to multiple hospital systems, which they were, leaving NUMC with less than a third of that total.

Three things are clear from last week’s frenzy. First, NUMC’s finances are a complex house of cards. Second, Bruderman lacks the temperament and skill set to lead NUMC. Third, everyone must stop the finger-pointing and start the hard work to resuscitate NUMC.

Blakeman emphasized a “blatantly political, cynical and dangerous attempt by the governor of this state and the Democratic Party to destroy Nassau University Medical Center.”

The rhetoric is not helpful. Blakeman, Bruderman and the state need to work together to help save the hospital, its employees and patients who are at risk.