Nassau Standard

Members of Nassau County's State Senate and Assembly delegations have formally appealed to Governor Kathy Hochul and legislative leaders, advocating for financial support for Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC). In a bipartisan letter addressed to Governor Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie, the lawmakers emphasized the urgent need for funding in the state budget.

The legislators highlighted that NUMC has not received any state aid or distressed hospital funds over the past two years. Despite being a crucial provider of healthcare services to many Long Islanders, NUMC was overlooked even as New York State allocated a Medicaid waiver of $2.2 billion over four years to safety net hospitals in other regions such as New York City and Westchester County.

Senator Steve Rhoads described the letter as "a powerful step forward" to ensure the survival of NUMC. He stressed that while NUMC has demonstrated its commitment through a strong financial turnaround, it cannot continue without state assistance. "Now is the time for the governor and legislative leaders to stop playing politics and do what is right for the people," Rhoads stated.

Assemblyman John Mikulin echoed this sentiment, expressing pride in supporting NUMC's fight for additional funding from the state. He urged New York State to address what he termed a healthcare crisis on Long Island by resolving funding issues during the current budget process.

Megan Ryan, President and CEO of NHCC, voiced her concerns about fairness in funding distribution. She argued that receiving no grants last year was unacceptable given other hospitals' access to aid amidst an increasing state budget. Ryan expressed gratitude towards Nassau County delegation members who supported their cause.

The appeal was co-signed by several legislators including Senators Jack Martins, Alexis Weik, Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, and Assembly members Michael Durso, Steve Stern, David McDonough among others.

Earlier this year, Megan Ryan testified before a Joint Legislative Hearing on Health and Medicaid requesting inclusion of funding for NUMC in the final budget. Recently, health care professionals from NUMC participated in a rally in Albany alongside hospital leadership and elected officials calling for necessary financial support.