By COLlive reporter

Community leaders and advocates are stepping up their opposition to a proposal that would transfer control of Maimonides Medical Center to NYC Health + Hospitals, warning that the move could permanently change one of Brooklyn’s most important medical institutions.

For generations, Maimonides has been closely connected to Brooklyn’s Orthodox Jewish community. Many families value the hospital’s familiarity with halachic considerations, its willingness to accommodate patients’ religious needs whenever possible, and its longstanding relationships with local rabbonim and askanim.

Opponents of the proposal argue that becoming part of the city’s public hospital system would replace local oversight with a larger government bureaucracy. They say that could lead to slower decision-making, less flexibility in responding to community needs, and reduced influence for local leaders who have helped shape the hospital for decades. Supporters also worry that decisions affecting Maimonides would increasingly be made by city officials rather than the hospital’s own leadership and board.

The proposed takeover comes as Maimonides faces serious financial challenges. According to public reports, the hospital has accumulated approximately $300 million in operating losses over the past several years, prompting state officials to support a merger with NYC Health + Hospitals as a path toward long-term financial stability.

Those opposing the merger contend that other solutions have not been fully explored. They point to operational improvements, including upgrades to the hospital’s billing and revenue systems, along with proposals from outside healthcare organizations that they believe deserved greater consideration before moving forward with a transfer of control.

The dispute has also moved into the courtroom. Several members of Maimonides’ Board of Trustees have filed a lawsuit seeking to block the transaction, arguing that the hospital’s nonprofit assets should not be transferred without a full judicial review and that other viable options remain available.

A recently released podcast featuring one of the hospital’s board members takes an in-depth look at the history of Maimonides, its financial challenges, the proposed takeover, and the ongoing legal battle. The discussion also explores alternatives supporters believe could preserve the hospital’s independence while addressing its financial difficulties.

VIDEO: Marty (Motty) Waisbrod, a board member of the Maimonides Hospital, about the pitfalls of its impending takeover by the City of New York.