Richard J. Murphy

South Nassau is best hope to improve health care in Long Beach

Posted

The caregivers at South Nassau Communities Hospital are excited about the opportunity to work with residents of the barrier island to improve medical services in the wake of the closing of the Long Beach Medical Center after Hurricane Sandy.

Some Long Beach residents say only a new hospital will do. But the changes in health care economics during the past 10 years argue otherwise. A community of 35,000 residents, even with its summer population surge, cannot support a full-time hospital without substantial subsidy. Long Beach Medical Center was financially underwater long before Sandy, and many residents acknowledge that they avoided going there when they had a serious medical condition.

We welcomed the dialogue with Long Beach residents at two information sessions we recently sponsored, as well as at a forum last week held by the state. We hope the dialogue continues. But any discussion must be fact-based. The idea that the $171 million the Federal Emergency Management Agency made available in the wake of the closing of the medical center is “Long Beach dollars” is inaccurate, as is the notion of putting FEMA dollars not spent in Long Beach “in escrow.”

Such statements demonstrate a serious misunderstanding of the FEMA process. Contrary to misrepresentations made by the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce and others, South Nassau has yet to receive one dime from FEMA. It will do so only after first spending its own capital dollars and then applying for reimbursement.

South Nassau will be putting its own financial health at risk for any services we offer in Long Beach. FEMA funding is only for construction and restoration. It cannot be used to support operating expenses or subsidize losses. South Nassau, the state or the City of Long Beach itself must be willing to do that.

That’s why we are undertaking an assessment to determine what medical services Long Beach will need going forward. Only then can we decide what to offer.

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