The Cold Spring Hills Center for nurses and rehabilitation at Woodbury, the second-largest nursing home on Long Island, has now received a new operator and nearly 500 employees. The revised labor agreement said it will close in May unless it agrees to the court. The record will be displayed.
The move comes as Cold Spring Hills last month was seeking bankruptcy protection and discovered an operator who was willing to take over the facility and ultimately buy it.
Court records filed Monday in the nursing home bankruptcy case show Elie, who owns three other nursing homes in the state, with the state's health department approved on January 23rd. It shows that Zar Jaiselmann is shown as a temporary recipient of the facility. Zelman, who failed to respond to Tuesday's request for comment, will take over its operational and payroll obligations.
Zelman also filed an application with the department seeking to purchase the facility for $10, but the agreement requires him to assume the $72 million mortgage obligation on the property.
What Newsday found
The Cold Spring Hills Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation will close the door by May 15th if the proposed new operator is unable to reach the revised collective bargaining agreement with the nursing home union. For years, he was in financial danger and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month. There are hundreds of thousands of weekly losses. The closure plan requires approval from the state health department and will force nearly 300 elderly and disabled residents to other long-term care facilities in the area. .
Submitted closure plan
Court records continued until Zelman received an amended collective bargaining agreement with 1199 Seiu United to Bent Philipson, the principal owner of Cold Spring Hills, and his son, Avi Philipson, a managing member of the business. It stipulates that the recipient has not made any progress. East Healthcare Worker, who represents most of the facility's employees.
Cold Spring Hills lawyer Schuyler Carroll said Philipsons is losing about $625,000 a week and is expected to run out of money by Monday.
“Closing the facility will be the greatest benefit of the property as there are the huge losses that we are incurring every day to operate the facility,” Carroll filed Friday in court. “As long as the debtor wants to complete the acceptance and sale, we are no longer sure if that will happen. It depends on events outside the debtor's control. The debtor cannot continue these losses and therefore , as an alternative, obtains approval for the closure plan.”
Except for the amended agreement – both sides are scheduled for mediation Thursday – the nursing home will be closed on May 15th, court records show. All remaining residents will be relocated to an alternative long-term care facility. The facility has 299 residents and 65 people are enrolled in the Adult Day Healthcare program.
In a statement, 1199 SEIU President George Gresham said the union would be forced towards an agreement.
“Cold Spring Hills caregivers continue to provide outstanding care to residents despite owners' refusal to fulfill their obligations, including contractual health benefits for workers,” Gresham said. I said that. “We meet with potential buyers and reach a contract that ensures the stability of our workforce, which is essential to providing good wages and benefits and providing proper resident care.”
In court documents on January 24, the union discussed amendments to its negotiation agreement with Zelman, but it also included the adoption of a more expensive employee-funded health insurance plan, which it said was “all scheduled wages.” He said he hopes to eliminate the benefits of hikes and dramatic cuts.
Additionally, Zelman wants to remove positions from the negotiation squad, and the union includes registered nurses, physiotherapists, physiotherapists, physiotherapy assistants, occupational therapists, certified occupational therapy assistants, respiratory therapists, respiratory technicians, He said it includes a nutritionist.
Zelman has not commented on the specific changes he hopes for in the deal.
“We hope that mediation will be successful and that Plan A can move forward, which means moving forward with receiver sales,” Timothy Culture, the lawyer representing Zelman, said at a bankruptcy court hearing on Tuesday. Ta. “But with the mindset that we may not get there… we need to at least inform everyone about what will happen if they're not successful.”
Residents finding new homes
Carroll said in a court filing that the nursing home has submitted a closure plan to the health department, which must be approved on Friday. A department spokesman declined to comment.
“The closure plan calls on facility staff to use best efforts to provide at least three alternative providers for each resident/register, and to help each resident identify appropriate alternative arrangements. “I'm doing that,” Carol wrote. “As per the closure plan, each resident will be transferred to the resident's selected facility wherever possible.”
This is not the first time Cold Spring Hills has announced plans to close the door.
The facility initially sought approval on April 23, but instead of trying to find new operators and buyers, it chose not to proceed with the plan. At the time, the 588-bed facility had dropped its resident census to 423.
In late December, nursing homes announced plans for “emergency evacuation” for residents a few days before Christmas and Hanukkah, as the facility deepens its debt, reluctant to take on new residents and require a $15 million upgrade. I did. The plan called for the nursing home to close its closure on December 31st and fire its entire workforce.
On December 20th, Nassau Supreme Court Judge Lisa Cairo issued a temporary restraining order sought by state Attorney General Letitia James, blocking the discharge or transfer of nursing homes and maintaining operation at the facility. I ordered it.
A few days later, Cold Spring Hills struggled to meet a $1.4 million salary each week and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection from creditors.
Attorney General Assistant Secretary Christina Pinola said the priority must be the health and safety of nursing home residents.
“There are hundreds of Cold Spring Hills residents, many of whom are extremely vulnerable and elderly,” Pinola said at a hearing Tuesday. “They have a lot of health challenges.”
Cold Spring Hills has been in financial danger for years, records show. In December 2022, a lawsuit from James's office accused the nursing home of ignoring residents' care and skirting state laws through fraudulent business setups designed to enrich owners .
In April, Cairo imposed a $2 million penalty as part of the resolution in the suit and appointed an independent health monitor for the facility.
Robert Brodsky is a Breaking News Reporter who has worked for Newsday since 2011. He is a graduate of Queen's College and American universities.
