_______________ east meadow ______________
HERALD learn about E.M. bond resolution
Space heater safety this winter
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Vol. 26 No. 6
FEBRUARY 5 - 11, 2026
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Letter addresses alleged Medicaid scam at NUMC sity Medical Center and its parent public-benefit corporation, the Nassau Health Care CorpoOver a year has passed since ration, accused the state of former leadership at Nassau withholding $1.06 billion, plus University Medical Center filed interest, in Medicaid payments that the hospital a lawsuit against said it was entitled N e w Yo rk s t a t e, to receive. alleging a decadesAccording to long Medicaid scam notice-of-claims that deprived the documents distriblargest safety-net uted to reporters at hospital on Long a November 2024 Island of as much press conference in of $1 billion in aid. the lobby of the Following a turEast Meadow hospibulent year at tal, a disproportionNUMC, in which its ately large share of board and leaderpatients served by ship was ousted and NUMC are eligible replaced by mostly for Medicaid. state appointments, NUMC is one of the federal Committhree public hospitee on Oversight U.S. REp. tals in New York a n d G ove r n m e n t that serve all Refor m is investi- JAMES CoMER patients, regardless g at i n g t h e s a m e Chair, of their ability to reports, according House Oversight p ay f o r m e d i c a l to a Jan. 16 letter Committee care. sent to Dr. Mehmet Because of the Oz, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare large number of Medicaid & Medical Services within the patients, the hospital receives U.S. Department of Health and federal funding through the Disproportionate Share HospiHuman Services. tal program and the Upper Payment Limit program — both The alleged Medicaid scheme In late 2024, Nassau UniverContinued on page 20
By JoRDAN VAlloNE
jvallone@liherald.com
R
Jason Thomas/Herald
Ross Schiller, right, was installed as president of the east Meadow Chamber of Commerce for 2026. Schiller, above, with Roxanne Rose, the outgoing president.
E.M. Chamber marks 70 years of growth, success, partnerships By JoSEpH D’AlESSANDRo jdalessandro@liherald.com
The East Meadow Chamber of Commerce toasted a year of business growth, community partnerships and new ventures on Jan. 23, celebrating its 70th anniversary while ushering in a new era of leadership. The milestone event took place during its annual installation of officers and directors at the Coral House in Baldwin, where the chamber recognized some of the community’s most dedicated contributors. Richie Krug Jr., a past president of the chamber, was honored as its 2026 Man of the Year. Krug, a real estate associate broker
with the RTK Realty Group at Coldwell Banker American Homes, is a lifelong East Meadow resident and longtime community advocate. The chamber also formally welcomed Ross Schiller as its president for 2026, while reflecting on seven decades of advocacy for East Meadow’s business community. “This is our 70th year, which is a true milestone,” said Schiller, of Ross L. Schiller & Associates P.C., a local real estate, trust and asset protection legal practice. “The chamber not only looks to the past for guidance, but we look to the future and to all the events the chamber runs throughout the Continued on page 10
eports on this scheme indicate that the state has engaged in this behavior for more than 20 years.