Thursday, October 1, 2026
Meg Ryan, the former president and chief executive of Nassau University Medical, announced her intent to file a lawsuit against the Nassau Health Care Corporation, the public benefit group that oversees the hospital and its operations. Ryan is alleging wrongful termination, lost wages and intentional reputational damage.
Provisions in New York state's budget, passed on May 7, allowed state officials to orchestrate a takeover of NHCC, appointing a new 11-member board throughout June. A majority of the members were named by Gov. Kathy Hochul, who also designated the chairman, Stuart Rabinowitz, former president of Hofstra University.
Ryan, who was named to her dual posts in December 2024 after serving as interim president, was placed on administrative leave on June 10 by the revamped board. In late-May, Ryan sent a letter to Dr. Irina Gelman, the Nassau County health care commissioner and former chair of the board at NUMC, stating her intent to resign from her role on July 20. Her administrative leave was set to last through the same day, or “an earlier date to be determined pending further review,” according to minutes from the hospital’s June 10 board meeting.
The board announced Ryan's firing in June, stating the termination was with “cause,” according to a letter issued by Dr. Richard Becker, the new interim chief executive of the hospital. The letter showed that Ryan authorized payments of $3.5 million to herself and others around May 30, after the state legislature began its revamp of the board. It further stated that $1 million was in excess of amounts that were due to Ryan and other employees. The payments, according to the board, allegedly served no valid purpose.
Ryan and her legal representatives announced on July 11 that a notice of claim, which will be followed by a full lawsuit within the next 30 days, was served last week to the parent corporation of Nassau University Medical Center.
Ryan also stated that the allegations against her were leaked to Newsday and other media outlets by NHCC leadership, all appointed by New York state officials, before she was given an opportunity to address the claims made against her. Allegedly, Becker also lacked the authority to terminate Ryan under “NHCC procedures.”
Alex Hartzband, an attorney with Grubin Law Group representing Ryan, said that “Ryan did absolutely nothing wrong.”
The vote to formally terminate Ryan took place during an executive session at the NHCC Board meeting on July 9.
In response to the claims, a spokesperson from Hochul’s office told the Herald, “As we have repeatedly said, the governor’s priorities at NUMC have always been patient care and ensuring the hospital’s long-term financial stability. The newly restructured board has been empowered to take the steps necessary to protect these priorities and to safeguard the future of this essential community hospital.”
More to follow.
