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New York Post
09-07-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Ousted Long Island hospital CEO for breach of contract after Hochul's 'hostile takeover' booted her
The ousted CEO of Nassau University Medical Center is gearing up to sue – claiming she was axed as part of Gov. Kathy Hochul's 'hostile takeover' of the Long Island hospital. Meg Ryan, the former president of the Nassau Health Care Corporation, was given the boot by Hochul and her cronies in an 'illicit scheme' to have NUMC foot the bill for Medicaid payments that the state was on the hook for, she claimed in a statement to The Post. Ryan is alleging breach of contract and seeking damages after Hochul appointed her allies Richard Becker, Stuart Rabinowitz, Richard Kessel and others to oversee the hospital, according to a notice of claim her lawyers filed in state court Wednesday. 4 Meg Ryan, the former president of the Nassau Health Care Corporation, alleged breach of contract and is seeking damages after Hochul appointed allies to oversee the hospital. Stefano Giovannini 'They weaponized the Department of Health and the state budget process to take over our community hospital and then leaked misinformation to the press to damage me personally,' Ryan fumed. 'It is unconscionable. 'I am eager to have my day in court and fight not only to clear my name but further expose the state's corruption.' Becker, Rabinowitz and Kessel and 10 unidentified members of the NHCC 'acted deliberately and with malice' by denying her severance and salary payments starting June 1 after the state government had assumed control of the NUMC, Ryan's attorney Alex Hartzband wrote in the claim. 4 The Board of Directors that replaced Ryan and 9 other health care executives had voted to terminate her employment for 'cause,' claiming she made 'excessive termination payments' to herself and the other NHCC employees. Stefano Giovannini The board of directors that replaced Ryan and nine other health care executives had voted to terminate her employment for 'cause,' claiming she made 'excessive termination payments' to herself and the other NHCC employees after announcing she would resign. Her resignation letter was rejected by Becker, who promptly fired her in a late June letter that was reported by Newsday shortly after. 'During my time as President and CEO of NHCC, we expanded services, improved quality of care, and reduced expenses. We demonstrated that, if not for the State's malfeasance, the hospital was financially viable,' Ryan said. 4 In May, Hochul had approved a budget bill with a provision that imposed state control of the NHCC's board with Becker, Rabinowitz and Kessel and other state appointees. Gabriella Bass 'My top priority has always been giving people the best possible health care and protecting our dedicated employees.' Attorneys for Ryan are prepared to argue in a forthcoming lawsuit that the payments were permissible and accrued from unused paid time off. They also allege she's being targeted for leading an earlier lawsuit against NHCC last December that sought to recoup more than $1 billion in Medicaid funding allegedly withheld from the public hospital the corporation oversees, NUMC, over two decades. 4 Until Ryan and other executives uncovered it, NUMC, the only public hospital in the county with around 80% of its 275,000 patients uninsured, had been forced to pay New York's percentage of FMAP funding. Stefano Giovannini House Republicans last week launched an investigation into the purported 'fiscal coverup' by Hochul done to boost a billion-dollar budget deficit that 'has forced local governments to increase property taxes and cut local services.' In May, Hochul had approved a budget bill with a provision that imposed state control of the NHCC's board with Becker, Rabinowitz and Kessel and other state appointees. Kessel had previously been appointed by Hochul to serve as director and chair of the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority. Rabinowitz was previously appointed to the state State Gaming Facility Location Board and once served as president of Hofstra University. Becker served as deputy secretary for health and human services under former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. NHCC has since let go attorneys representing it in the Medicaid lawsuit against the state and filed for an adjournment. Until Ryan and other executives uncovered it, NUMC, the only public hospital in the county with around 80% of its 275,000 patients uninsured, had been forced to pay the state's percentage of Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) funding, the December lawsuit alleged. 'Ms. Ryan did absolutely nothing wrong,' Hartzband told The Post. 'The payments she authorized were permissible under hospital policy and consistent with years of established practice by the CEOs who preceded her.' He also accused the new NHCC leadership of fomenting a 'shameless media campaign' to defame her. Reps for Hochul's office and NHCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Carnaval 2025: Veinte Años' brings music, dance and traditions to life
Feb. 27—Take a journey to four iconic Carnival destinations without leaving the comfort of the National Hispanic Cultural Center with "Carnaval 2025: Veinte Años." Guests will be immersed in the music, cultures and dance of four locales who are known to enthusiastically celebrate Carnival — Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba and New Orleans. The festivities at the NHCC will begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1. "This is our 20th year of doing the show at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, and it's a one of a kind show," said Frank Leto, producer, director and composer of the event. "We take the audience to Brazil to experience Carnival in Brazil, where they play samba," Leto said. "We take them to Trinidad and Tobago, where they play calypso music and steel drums. We also take the audience to Cuba, where they have the comparsa and the conga rhythms that they use during Carnival, and then we take them to New Orleans." Carnival is a celebration of life that occurs just before the Catholic observance of Lent, a time of fasting, praying and abstinence. Traditionally, people celebrate with extravagant dances, celebrations and meals before Lent begins, and this year is no exception. An eight-piece band, PANdemonium, featuring local musicians, will fill the theater with sound during the show and this year, guests will have a dance floor where they can dance along to vibrant sounds that mimic the feeling of Carnival. "They get solos and get a chance to really cut loose," Leto said. "This year, I chose mostly just very danceable songs that we're going to be performing. The music is just really uplifting and exciting." Leto composed and wrote music that will be performed in the show. He plays steel drums, which are called pan in Trinidad. Leto said the band was "a vehicle for me to perform my original music." While musicians jam out during the performance, dancers from the Odara Dance Ensemble will fill the stage with different styles of dance like Afro Cuban, Brazilian and Trinidadian dances. The dance ensemble was created by Leto's wife Pilar, who died in 2024. Many of the dances performed will feature steps passed down from Pilar Leto. "I love what Carnival represents," Leto said. "It represents living in the moment and acknowledging the things that you have in your life that you need to be thankful for." "Carnival happens right before Lent, and this is a time when people sort of overindulge in those things because they know they're going to have to give up dancing and drinking and listening to music," Leto added. "This is a time for them to celebrate before they go into prayers and withholding."
