The proposed transition of Maimonides Health into the NYC Health + Hospitals system has taken another major step forward, despite continued opposition from community advocates and ongoing legal challenges.

On Thursday, Sept. 17, the full New York State Public Health and Health Planning Council voted unanimously to approve the proposed transaction, following a unanimous recommendation from a council committee last month. The vote advances the plan to bring the Brooklyn hospital into New York City’s public health system.

The latest vote follows a May court ruling that determined state health officials could not bypass the Public Health and Health Planning Council’s review of the transaction. That ruling led to the additional regulatory process that culminated in Thursday’s vote.

The proposed merger has drawn significant opposition from community advocates, including concerns over the hospital’s future medical staff, governance and potential effects on patient care. Supporters, meanwhile, argue that joining NYC Health + Hospitals would provide Maimonides with greater financial stability, higher Medicaid reimbursement rates and access to billions of dollars in state funding. The state has committed approximately $2.2 billion over five years as part of the broader safety-net hospital initiative.

Despite Thursday’s approval, the transaction is not yet complete. Additional regulatory and administrative requirements remain, and lawsuits challenging the merger are still pending, meaning the legal battle over the future of Maimonides is not necessarily over.