Lawmakers Press Hochul, Legislative Leaders to Provide Critical Aid to Long Island’s Largest Safety Net Hospital
Members of the Nassau County Senate, Assembly Delegations Call for Funding in State Budget to Which Hospital is Legally Entitled
(ALBANY, NY) – Members of Nassau County’s delegations to the State Senate and Assembly have sent a bipartisan letter to Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Temporary President and Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie urging the State’s top political leaders to include gap funding for Nassau University Medical Center, Long Island’s largest public safety-net hospital, in the massive $252 billion State Budget currently being debated in Albany.
In their letter the lawmakers note, “Despite its vital role in serving hundreds of thousands of Long Islanders, NUMC has received zero state aid or distressed hospital funds for the last two years.” The letter goes on to state, “NUMC has not received any state aid for 2024 or 2025 despite applying for every funding opportunity available. This comes despite New York States’ recent award of a Medicaid waiver which will help distribute $2.2B over 4 years to safety net hospitals in New York City and Westchester County while providing no support to NUMC.”
Senator Steve Rhoads said, “This bi-partisan letter is a powerful step forward in the fight to secure the future of Nassau University Medical Center, a critical lifeline for Nassau County’s most vulnerable residents. NUMC has been denied the state funding other regions receive, despite providing essential services that no one else can. With a strong financial turnaround led by its leadership team, NUMC has proven its commitment, but it cannot survive without state support. Now is the time for the governor and legislative leaders to stop playing politics and do what is right for the people. We must act to secure the funding NUMC needs in this year’s budget—our community’s health depends on it.
Assemblyman John Mikulin said, “I am proud to stand by Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) to advocate for additional funding from the state. For far too long the state has cut funding for this safety net hospital creating a health care crisis here in Long Island. It is time for New York State to step up and solve the problem during this budget process.”
NHCC President, CEO and Chief Legal Officer Megan Ryan, Esq., said, “We’re not asking for exorbitant funding. We’re asking to be treated fairly. That shouldn’t be a politically-charged or partisan issue. With the state budget projected to be increased by billions of dollars and other hospitals receiving millions in aid, the $0 NUMC received last year in state grants is totally unacceptable. We are grateful to the Nassau County delegation members who have had the courage to add their voice to our cause and share our deep concerns about the health care crisis that awaits Nassau County’s most vulnerable if the state continues to starve NUMC of funding.”
The letter to the Legislative Leaders, organized by Senator Rhoads and Assemblyman Mikulin, was co-signed by a bipartisan group of legislators including Senators Jack Martins, Alexis Weik, and Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, and Assembly members Michael Durso, Steve Stern, David McDonough, Jake Blumencranz, Daniel Norber, Edward Ra, and Ari Brown.
Earlier this year, NUMC President Megan Ryan testified before the Joint Legislative Hearing on the Health and Medicaid, requesting the Legislature include funding for NUMC in the final state budget. Last week, health care heroes from NUMC joined hospital leadership and elected officials at a rally in Albany calling for funding for NUMC.
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