Talk of closure comes a week after state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli issued a "scathing" audit saying that SUNY Downstate was on the verge of bankruptcy. The report said SUNY Downstate's decision to absorb LICH a colossal financial mistake.
As far back as 2008, doctors accused the hospital’s parent body -- which was at that time Continuum Health Partners -- of financial mismanagement and leaving the hospital in a precarious position.
UPDATE:
According to the Brooklyn Eagle:
"While the audit said SUNY Downstate assumed both assets and “substantial” liabilities from LICH, Downstate President Williams asserted that LICH’s assets were higher than previously estimated – from "$280 million to $550 million," reports Crain’s New York.
Further, SUNY won’t be responsible for about $140 million worth of potential LICH medical malpractice claims. A trust set up from LICH endowment funds will cover those payments.
Also, according to DiNapoli’s report, $32.7 million was transferred from LICH’s accounts to SUNY's “Health Science Center at Brooklyn Foundation, Inc.” a not-for-profit corporation. (We notice the management fees for this foundation in 2011 alone are almost $6 million.)
This brings us back to 2008, when it was Continuum who was draining LICH of resources. Dr. Arnold Licht president of LICH medical staff, charged at that time: “Continuum has refused to account for money it has ‘borrowed’ from LICH’s endowment, for millions from the sale of LICH’s property, and even for bills it has imposed on LICH.”
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Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
What makes no sense is that they will close LICH which is the only hospital serving its area but leave Downstate in Flatbush which is right next to Kings County and Brooklyn Jewish. Downstate loses 8million/month, LICH 3 million. Downstate's location will not attract the affluent, LICH could. What is the sense in this? The sense is Downstate is killing LICH to cover itself. It's a losing strategy. Make LICH the profitable hospital for the Medical School and close the redundant and bloated SUNY-Downstate Campus
ReplyDeleteContinuum sucked LICH dry. When people went to LICH they had to send their payments to Beth Israel. Now looks like SUNY is doing the same.
ReplyDeleteOne of the major causes of SUNY Downstate's financial ruin, according to the State auditing was the acquisition of LICH in May 2011. Under the purchase agreement, SUNY Downstate took on $170 million of LICH's liabilities, which the hospital has increasingly been unable to manage. Additionally LICH has financial issues for the last 17 year with a plethora of hanging law suits unresolved. SUNY Downstate was in the black until purchasing LICH which became their downfall. A good portion of
ReplyDeleteSUNY-Downstate funds was funneled into LICH with no end in sight to make it a feasible operation.
The hanging law suits were funded by plundering LICH's endowment fund, not SUNY.
ReplyDeleteAccording to DiNapoli's report, SUNY was losing money before it acquired LICH in 2011:
ReplyDelete"From 2007-2011, Downstate consistently lost money."
https://www.osc.state.ny.us/press/releases/jan13/011713.htm
SUNY Downstate had no business taking on LICH's financial concerns when they have concerns of their own. Downstate/LICH merger was a mistake....a disaster in the making.
ReplyDelete