N.Y. visiting nurse service to acquire home healthcare provider for $30M

The Visiting Nurse Service of New York, the nation's largest not-for-profit home healthcare organization, is set to acquire the Long Term Home Health Care (Lombardi) Program from St. Vincent's Catholic Medical Center.

VNSNY bid $30.15 million for the service at a closed, one-time bid auction on Aug. 10. The deal requires approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and the Attorney General's Office.

The New York City-based VNSNY is licensed to provide long-term home healthcare to 2,301 chronically ill New Yorkers. Through the acquisition, it will be able to offer these services to an additional 1,065 patients in the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens and bring VNSNY long-term home healthcare to Nassau County.

Officials say this is positive news for the quickly expanding population of aging New Yorkers – especially nursing home-eligible seniors, who struggle with complex chronic conditions requiring medical supervision.

"As the ripple effect resulting from the closure of Saint Vincent's Catholic Medical Center and its many wonderful programs continues, VNSNY is committed to supporting each community with uninterrupted care and services," said Ilaina Edison, VNSNY's senior vice president. "Through this acquisition, we can ensure that chronically ill, nursing home-eligible New Yorkers, most of them elderly, will have access to the expert long-term care and services they deserve so that they can live safely and independently in their own homes for as long as possible."

VNSNY officials will be meeting with staff from the St. Vincent's program and say they expect to bring most of them on board.

Both parties are working with the New York State Department of Health to shape a smooth transition. A Certificate of Need will be filed by VNSNY on Aug. 13, with completion of the process expected before the end of the year.