New York state regulators on Thursday approved New York City’s controversial takeover of Maimonides Medical Center, clearing a major hurdle for a deal that has drawn fierce opposition from elected officials, Rabbonim and members of Brooklyn’s Orthodox Jewish community.
The state Public Health and Health Planning Council unanimously approved the merger following a hearing in Albany, advancing a plan that would bring the 711-bed Maimonides — Brooklyn’s largest privately operated hospital — under NYC Health + Hospitals.
The deal calls for the financially struggling hospital to become part of the city’s massive public hospital system, with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration committing approximately $2.2 billion over five years to help cover operating deficits and stabilize the institution.
But the takeover has faced intense opposition in Boro Park, where Maimonides has deep roots in the Orthodox Jewish community and has treated generations of local families.
Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein blasted the plan following the latest development.
“Its a desperate move. A city takeover of Maimonides will cause more problems than it solves,” Eichenstein said.
During Thursday’s hearing, NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Dr. Mitchell Katz sought to reassure opponents that the city does not intend to erase Maimonides’ unique character.
“We’re not here to change Maimonides. We’re here to support Maimonides,” Katz said.
Katz pledged that Maimonides’ kosher kitchen would remain in place and that Jewish religious practices, including end-of-life care in accordance with Jewish tradition, would continue to be respected. He also argued that joining the public hospital system would allow Maimonides to receive higher Medicaid reimbursement rates and obtain resources needed to upgrade its aging computer systems.
But community leaders remain deeply skeptical that promises made by the current administration will necessarily bind future City Hall leadership.
“Administrations come and go but the sale [of Maimonides] is forever,” Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Agudath Israel’s director of state government relations, warned.
The battle is also far from over.
Two lawsuits seeking to block the transaction remain pending, and opponents vowed Thursday to continue fighting despite the state approval.
“Our fight to preserve and protect Maimonides Hospital for the Brooklyn community continues. Our lawsuit remains active and Maimonides still needs additional court approval to move forward,” attorney Martin Bienstock, representing the Coalition to Preserve Maimonides, said.
“Without question, this illegal deal would undermine the health of the community we all love,” Bienstock added. “We look forward to vigorously pursuing this fight on all fronts.”
The legal battle has already produced a significant ruling. In May, a state Supreme Court justice annulled an earlier determination that the state’s review under its Safety Net Transformation Program was sufficient, ruling that the transaction required additional Public Health Council review and approval. Thursday’s vote followed that ruling.
If ultimately completed, the transaction would transfer substantially all of Maimonides’ assets, liabilities and operations into newly created entities controlled by NYC Health + Hospitals.
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6 Responses
If community needs the hospital, they should raise funds and buy it out. Then, make sure community has more people who work for legit companies that provide health insurance so that hospital gets paid more.
Another alternative, if we want a hospital as a chesed institution – hire frum doctors who will charge less. Maybe working 80% for other hospitals, and 20% for Yidden for free. For that, send more ehriche kids into medical and nursing professions.
Please G-D, stop this takeover by New York State. It is a Chillul H-shem for this to happen. H”M, your children are crying out to you. They need to know that you are supporting them in their desire to maintain Maimonides Hospital as a privately owned venture. To have the state of New York come in and take it over can only spell disaster for the Yiddishe Community. What if they want the Mezuzahs removed? What if they want to cease operating the Bikur Cholim room? I used to go to that hospital when I was homeless in Boro Park. They took good are of me, provided me with Kosher Meals whole I was on an emergency room stretcher on Shabbes. I will never ever forget my experiences there. Please G-D, intervene and give control of Maimonides Hospital back to the community. I will do TESHUVA during the Yomim Noraim for You H”M of All for this to come about. Please let the Yiddishe Community enter in this effort to regain control of Maimonides Hospital. With Kavannah and Ahavas H”M. I remain your Beloved servant, Rebbetzin Dinah Devorah Teitelbaum.
Its not the first hospital which almost went bankrupt . the are consultants which can turn around these kind of problems but #1 is they are not giving FULL ACCESS to the books. Who would want to fix a problem when the are blindfolded??
Lets not forget what happened to LICH taken over by then the State failed after 2 years what is today??
Giving away billons of $$$ to who??
If the city fails you might have in its place a HOMELESS SHELTER
A few years ago some Lichtenstein wanted to take it over why were we against it??
No far from a great hospital but its your backyard it is fixable we want to fix it put the right people in it can be done
Why give away Billon of dollars of assets and the you might have to run away from BORO PARK?
Maybe Gibbs was making too much money so the hospital couldn’t stay afloat. The problem is the place is bleeding money constantly, nobody wants to take the responsibility for why, and nobody wants to see someone else come and take over it. But if you want it to stay the same it can’t stay in the red
The idea of community-led solutions for essential services like healthcare is powerful. It mirrors the way our people have historically built and sustained institutions. Relying on government promises, especially when administrations change, often leaves communities vulnerable. Control over our own institutions, built on our values and funded by our efforts, ensures they serve our needs without compromise. This is not just about Maimonides; it is a principle for all our communal endeavors.
The idea that a community can simply buy out a hospital, or staff it with volunteers working for less, misses the scale of what it takes to run a modern medical center. The infrastructure, the specialized equipment, the constant research and development—these are not small-scale operations. They require immense capital and a steady, predictable revenue stream that comes from a broad base of paying patients and robust insurance systems. A hospital is a complex ecosystem, not a simple business. The question of how to fund such essential services, especially for communities with unique needs, often comes down to navigating existing large systems rather than building entirely new ones from scratch.