Bruce Blakeman Vows To Stop Albany’s Hospital Takeovers

Nassau County Executive and Republican candidate for Governor Bruce Blakeman warned New Yorkers about Governor Kathy Hochul’s dangerous pattern of taking over local hospitals, using Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) as a cautionary tale.

“NUMC is Nassau’s only safety-net hospital, serving over 1.4 million residents, including veterans, first responders, seniors, and the most vulnerable in our community,” Blakeman said. “Governor Hochul withheld funding from this hospital, and then used that funding shortfall to claim the hospital was in financial distress. She leveraged a self-made crisis to seize control of a local institution that belongs to the people of Nassau, not Albany. Hospitals across New York should take note—unfortunately, this could happen to you next.”

New York State withheld approximately $1.06 billion in federal Medicaid funding owed to NUMC. These Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) funds are designed to support hospitals that serve a large number of Medicaid patients, helping them remain financially stable while providing care to the most vulnerable populations. Governor Hochul’s refusal to release these funds forced NUMC to cover the state’s share out of its own operating budget, pushing the hospital into severe financial distress. That manufactured crisis then allowed state lawmakers to pass legislation (Chapter 57 of 2025, Part LL, S3007C/A3007C) that dismantled NUMC’s existing Board of Directors and handed control of the hospital to Albany.

Blakeman pointed out that Hochul is now deploying this same dangerous playbook across New York State—withholding Medicaid funding from hospitals including North Star Health Alliance (NSHA), Carthage Area Hospital, and Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center/Campus—putting their financial stability, emergency services, and patient care at risk while setting the stage for a hostile state takeover.

“What happened to NUMC should serve as a warning to hospitals across the state,” Blakeman said. “Hochul’s strategy is clear: cut funding, manufacture a crisis, and take over hospitals under the guise of financial oversight. This is bad for patients, bad for local communities, and unacceptable for New Yorkers.”

“Imagine a parent rushing to the hospital with a newborn, a senior needing urgent care, or a police officer injured on duty—and wondering if the care they need will actually be available,” Blakeman continued. “This is what happens when politicians in Albany put politics ahead of patients.”

Blakeman vowed to put an end to Albany’s hospital power grabs when elected Governor. n

HHS, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz Convene National Lyme Disease Roundtable

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) convened on December 15, 2025 a national Lyme Disease Roundtable bringing together Lyme Disease patients, clinicians, researchers, senior federal officials, Members of Congress, and public-health leaders to address diagnostics, clinical care, prevention, and coordinated federal responses to Lyme Disease and other tickborne illnesses.

The roundtable was moderated by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and fulfills commitments outlined in the Make America Healthy Again Commission Strategy Report to address chronic and often overlooked illnesses affecting millions of Americans.

“For decades, Americans suffering from Lyme Disease have been denied accurate diagnostics and meaningful care,” said Secretary Kennedy. “Today’s actions move us decisively toward reliable testing and treatment grounded in real-world patient experience. Families have waited far too long for recognition, and we are committed to delivering the tools they deserve.”

The roundtable marked a significant milestone in federal health policy, reflecting formal recognition of Lyme Disease as a serious and real public-health condition affecting millions nationwide. Lyme Disease remains the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the United States, with documented cases in all 50 states and incidence continuing to rise.

Federal leaders and medical experts emphasized the need for stronger interagency coordination, updated clinical guidance, expanded research, improved prevention strategies, and insurance policies that reflect the real-world experiences of patients living with tickborne illness. Participants acknowledged longstanding concerns regarding delayed diagnosis, inconsistent standards of care, limited awareness of co-infections, and insurance barriers that have contributed to prolonged illness and disability.

The discussion was led by Secretary Kennedy and featured Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), alongside senior leadership from HHS and the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General.

The roundtable followed sustained federal advocacy led by Life for Lyme Founder Duvi Honig, whose initiative operates as a Health and Medical Division of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce. Over the past year, Life for Lyme has worked closely with Secretary Kennedy himself, in coordination with federal health officials, Members of Congress, and leading clinicians, to elevate Lyme Disease as a national public-health priority and bring long-overdue attention to the millions of Americans suffering from tickborne illnesses that are frequently undiagnosed, misdiagnosed, or dismissed.

Throughout the discussion, federal officials and medical experts emphasized that recognition must be accompanied by action. Key focus areas included prevention, provider education, early detection, diagnostic standards, treatment protocols, long-term patient outcomes, and the clinical complexity of tickborne co-infections.

During the roundtable, Life for Lyme leadership stressed that prevention and education must be the first line of defense against Lyme Disease and other tickborne illnesses. Duvi Honig outlined Life for Lyme’s national awareness initiatives across print, digital, hospital-based, and community education platforms, designed to educate both the public and healthcare providers about tickborne co-infections and their wide-ranging and often misunderstood symptoms.

Honig emphasized that Lyme Disease is frequently referred to as “the Great Imitator,” urging that CDC guidance be updated within 30 days to include comprehensive information on co-infections and symptom profiles, enabling earlier diagnosis, appropriate testing, and timely treatment.

A major policy development was announced when Dr. Mehmet Oz, CMS Administrator, confirmed that Medicare is being updated to explicitly require coverage for extended Lyme Disease treatment, including treatment for associated co-infections—addressing a longstanding coverage gap that has placed severe financial strain on patients and families.

HHS further announced that CMS has issued guidance clarifying support for beneficiaries with Lyme Disease and related conditions through the Chronic Care Management (CCM) program, expanding access to coordinated care and reducing financial barriers for Medicare patients managing complex, long-term conditions.

Senior leadership from the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General expressed strong support for Life for Lyme’s awareness and education model and committed to working collaboratively to expand and replicate the campaign nationally, while advancing CDC updates aligned with current clinical and real-world patient evidence.

Members of Congress reinforced the bipartisan urgency surrounding Lyme Disease and acknowledged the role of patient-driven advocacy in advancing federal action.

U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, emphasized in his opening remarks his admiration for Life for Lyme’s prevention- and awareness-driven approach, affirming that education and prevention must be addressed immediately as part of a comprehensive federal response.

U.S. Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Caucus, stated: “As Co-Chair of the Congressional Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Caucus, I am honored to join Secretary Kennedy and other distinguished stakeholders, including my fellow Members of Congress, experts, and patients, in discussing the present state and future possibilities of Lyme Disease diagnostics, treatments, and therapies. This chronic, debilitating disease—which continues to rise throughout the United States, including and especially in my home state of New Jersey—deserves the federal government’s undivided attention and assistance,” said Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ).

“I am very grateful for Secretary Kennedy’s longstanding commitment to uncovering the origins, investigating the comorbidities, and developing new diagnostics and treatments for Lyme Disease—efforts that are already improving the quality of life and care for patients nationwide. Lyme patients deserve answers, and under Secretary Kennedy’s phenomenal leadership, HHS is steadfastly working toward procuring them. I also want to acknowledge Duvi Honig and Life for Lyme for their leadership, persistence, and partnership in elevating Lyme Disease to the national policy agenda and ensuring patient voices are finally being heard.”

U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) also participated in the roundtable, highlighting the severe impact of Lyme Disease in her home state of Maine, which continues to report among the highest incidence rates in the nation.

Lyme Disease has infected an estimated five to seven million Americans over the past decade, with CDC estimates indicating that approximately 476,000 Americans are diagnosed and treated each year. Current testing methods often miss early- or late-stage infection, limiting access to appropriate care. For up to 20 percent of patients, symptoms persist and progress into chronic Lyme infection-associated conditions.

HHS highlighted the expanded LymeX initiative, advancing patient-centered innovation and next-generation diagnostics. AI-enabled tools and high-dimensional biological methods are improving understanding of persistent Lyme-related symptoms, supported by a national strategy emphasizing open data, transparent research practices, and direct patient engagement.

LymeX also includes the LymeX Diagnostics Prize, offering more than $10 million in cash awards, underwritten by the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, to accelerate the development of diagnostics enabling earlier and more accurate detection across all stages of infection. Teams are currently in Phase 4, advancing promising technologies through clinical validation and regulatory pathways.

Medical experts described the roundtable as a long-overdue turning point.

“For decades, patients and clinicians were forced to fight simply to be heard,” said Dr. Robert C. Bransfield, MD, DLFAPA, DILADS. “Today marks a fundamental shift. I want to specifically thank Life for Lyme and its leadership for their leadership, persistence, and advocacy, which helped bring this issue to the forefront. With federal recognition now firmly in place, the focus must move decisively to prevention, access to treatment, research, and meaningful government partnership on behalf of patients.”

During the event, Life for Lyme, a Health and Medical Division of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, presented Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. with a commemorative menorah symbolizing hope, healing, and illumination, recognizing federal leadership in elevating Lyme Disease within national health policy and public-health discourse.