NYS Legislature approves restructuring of NUMC board of trustees

ALBANY — The State Legislature approved a restructuring of the board governing troubled Nassau University Medical Center on Wednesday, taking control from County Executive Bruce Blakeman and giving it to Gov. Kathy Hochul.

As previously reported by Newsday, the new board will include seven appointments from Hochul and Democrats, and   four from Blakeman and Republicans.

Notably, the governor — not the county executive — shall name the board chair. New appointments could be made as soon as June 1.

It also gives oversight to the Nassau Interim Finance Authority and calls for a comprehensive study, including public input, about the long-term viability of NUMC to be submitted by Dec. 1, 2026.

The NUMC provisions were included in a bill covering health programs as part of an overall state budget. The State Senate and Assembly approved the health bill Wednesday evening.

"There has been significant mismanagement at NUMC over a period of years," Hochul spokesman Gordon Tepper said Wednesday. "The state attempted to work cooperatively with Nassau on a solution. That offer was declined and now it’s the state’s responsibility to ensure NUMC succeeds going forward."

Nassau Health Care Corp., the entity that runs the hospital, is more than $500 million in debt and asked for a state bailout a year ago. Last fall, Hochul’s administration began talks with Blakeman and NIFA, which monitors county and NHCC finances, on a possible long-term strategy to put the hospital in better financial position.

But Blakeman and NUMC in January launched an advertising campaign blaming Hochul for the hospital’s problems and filing a lawsuit claiming state government has shortchanged NUMC in state aid by $1 billion.

Blakeman’s office didn’t immediately return a call to comment.

NuHealth board chair Irina Gelman, a Blakeman appointee, said in a statement: “The state’s hostile takeover of Nassau County’s only public safety-net hospital is unprecedented, immoral and dangerous." She later added: "The notion that a state appointed board would have a higher rate of success in managing this critical care facility from Albany is a logical fallacy ..."

The new legislation includes provisions allowing NIFA to impose controls on NUMC in various scenarios, including failing to make bond payments. It allows the county executive or the board chair to propose modifications for NIFA’s consideration.

New board members would serve staggered terms — two, three or four years — so all the terms don’t expire at once.

Sen. Siela Bynoe (D-Westbury) said she’d like to see "town hall style" meetings with the public as the new board puts together the required study on NUMC’s future.

She said property around NUMC could be used to host related programs, such as assisted living facilities, medical offices or veterans’ health services.

Bynoe said the new board needs to develop an "overall strategy" to shore up an "institution that is in desperate need of funding and is drowning in accumulated debt."

By Yancey Roy

yancey.roy@newsday.com@yanceyroy