NUMC still running in place

Daily Point

NUMC static amid a dynamic LI health scene 

This is a moment of key potential change for Long Island’s hospital and medical-care scene. One major player, NYU Langone Health, just announced it aims to build a $3 billion-plus medical center on property it would buy at the Nassau Community College campus, for a price still to be negotiated. How that plan, if successful, might mix with those of other medical institutions in the region remains to be addressed.

Then there is the Nassau University Medical Center and the A. Holly Patterson Extended Care Facility, both run by the entity NuHealth. The annual state budget’s passage included help for those kinds of facilities. But NUMC, which is Long Island’s only “safety-net” hospital, can be said to remain on the financial critical list. The latest of its chronic projected deficits means it could run out of cash by the end of November.

The state and Sen. Kevin Thomas’ office tout these highlights from last month’s budget bills: a new $500 million in state aid and expanded grants for financially distressed health care providers around New York, $50 million to increase Medicaid reimbursement for nursing homes, $182 million more to boost hospital reimbursement rates, and $35 million for providers in the 340B drug pricing program, which allows those providers to obtain prescription drugs at a significant discount. 

But in a statement provided to The Point, the NuHealth board chairman, Matthew Bruderman, sees fault with the state. He says in part: “In recent years New York State cut $260 million in aid to this critical asset to our lower income communities during the pandemic. Thus far, those funds have not been restored. We continue to advocate on behalf of our patient community for that restoration and hope that those discussions will bear fruit in the coming months."

Bruderman noted that — as has long been known — 80% of NUMC patients rely on Medicaid and Medicare, which pay relatively low reimbursement rates. His statement cited long-term efforts to build revenue — but notably did not suggest any need for further help from the county itself. The county experienced a surge of cash in recent years from federal COVID-19 funds. Previously, the state’s Council of Health System Pharmacists reportedly has let NUMC not pay a huge liability. Talk of selling off the Patterson facility has gone on for years without results.

Since 2020, the operation has been under the watch of the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, which at the time cited the hospital's problems as posing “a material threat" to the county to which it belongs. So far, a murky status quo prevails. At least there’s one glimpse of light: The long-dark electric sign facing west from NUMC’s East Meadow building is newly illuminated.

— Dan Janison dan.janison@newsday.com

Quick Points

Tallying the score

• An AARP survey found that 74% of Long Islanders said that increasing property taxes would affect their ability to stay in their homes "a lot.” File that under: You needed to do a survey? 
• Dianne Feinstein's staff reportedly is telling the 89-year-old California senator how to vote on legislation and nominations. In her defense, she’s not the only member of Congress who could use some advice from staff on how to vote. 
• Texas House Republicans impeached the state’s Republican Attorney General, Ken Paxton. Given the charges he faces — the 20 impeachment articles allege that he took bribes, obstructed justice in a securities fraud case pending against him, made false statements on official documents, abused the public trust, and benefited from a donor employing a woman Paxton was having an affair with, not to mention a $3.3 million settlement he reached with four aides who accused him of bribery and other “potential criminal offenses” — perhaps that sentence should read that the Texas House finally impeached Paxton. 
• Texas hard-right Rep. Chip Roy disparaged the debt ceiling agreement, which involved give-and-take from both sides, saying that there is a reason Democrats are “gleeful” and that GOP Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s status is tenuous because of “this kind of lunacy.” Well, he got the last thing right, even if he directed it at the wrong target.
• Several troops were killed or wounded in gunfire along the Iran-Afghanistan border in a clash over water rights — blowing several bullet holes in the theory that climate change is not a clear and present danger.
• Some 40% of wedding attendees over the last five years and 62% percent of bridal party members have gone into debt to be at these increasingly expensive ceremonies, according to a Lending Tree survey. Sharing in the couple’s joy is one thing, sharing the expense quite another.

— Michael Dobie michael.dobie@newsday.com

Pencil Point

Graduation

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