New York
Related: About this forumBehind the scenes, mayor’s people work to save LICH deal
Dan Goldberg
For months, the de Blasio administration has been in the unattractive position of seeming to walk away from a fight over Long Island College Hospital, a cause the mayor capitalized on to great effect during last year's campaign.
But behind the scenes, Emma Wolfe, director of intergovernmental affairs, Tony Shorris, first deputy mayor, Dominic Williams, Shorris' chief of staff and other members of de Blasio's inner circle have been meeting regularly with representatives on all sides of the LICH battle, working to secure a deal that keeps some access to health care in Cobble Hill, even after the state sells the money-losing hospital to a developer.
And according to administration officials, they're now trying to guarantee that the possibility of preserving some health care element on the site doesn't fall apart entirely, as the mayor's community-activist allies resist an outcome they regard as too development-heavy.
"We are going to urge continuity of care," Wolfe told Capital, in a phone interview. "Anything gets in the way of that, we will try to remove.
http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/health-care/2014/06/8546821/behind-scenes-mayors-people-work-save-lich-deal
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)Dan Goldberg
PITCHING A NO DECISION - Justice Johnny Lee Baynes told a packed courtroom yesterday that he is reserving his decision on whether to grant a motion that would disqualify certain LICH evaluators, and force SUNY to begin negotiating with Prime Healthcare. The judge said his decision could come as early as Friday. Baynes' no-decision has no impact on the negotiations between SUNY and Fortis, the developer looking to purchase the hospital. Fortis announced yesterday that it would provide an H.I.V. clinic, an ombudsman who can hear community concerns and hold 10,000 square feet in reserve in case its own community needs assessment found the area requires more health care. The needs assessment will not address whether a full-service hospital is required, which is what JIm Walden, the attorney representing the community groups, had secured from the Peebles Corporation before that deal fell through.
If Baynes grants the motion
That would mean six scorers, who evaluated the proposals to purchase LICH, would be disqualified. When you remove their scores from the equation, Prime Healthcare, a California company with plans to run a full-service hospital, takes the top spot.
If Baynes denies the motion
It would seem then the community's last, best chance to keep a full-service hospital in Cobble Hill is gone. SUNY appears close to a deal with Fortis Property Group, which will partner with NYU but it is offering a freestanding E.D. in place of an acute-care hospital.
http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/health-care/2014/06/8546936/capital-health-care-fortis-agrees-more-health-care-lich