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Long Island College Hospital Not Eligible for Medicaid Waiver Money: Report

By Nikhita Venugopal | February 4, 2014 9:20am
 Long Island College Hospital at 339 Hicks St., in Cobble Hill.
Long Island College Hospital at 339 Hicks St., in Cobble Hill.
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University Hospital of Brooklyn

COBBLE HILL — An influx of money from the federal government, sought by city and state leaders, cannot be used to save Long Island College Hospital, according to reports.

A member of the Cuomo administration said that LICH isn’t eligible for a Medicaid waiver request, which the state submitted as a way to secure about $10 billion in funds from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Capital New York reported.

The money is earmarked for institutions that have a credible plan to reduce inpatient admissions by 25 percent, Nirav Shah, the state Health Department commissioner, said Monday during a testimony before the legislature.

Many local officials and residents say the community needs a full-service hospital and are fighting any plan that would sacrifice LICH's valuable real estate for condominiums and reduced medical facilites.

While Interfaith Medical Center could still be eligible, “LICH is a different story,” he said, according to reports.

Last week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio urged the federal government to approve the funds to help resuscitate the struggling Brooklyn hospitals. 

The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.