Officials: Sandy damage to NYC hospitals topped $800 million

Hurricane Sandy caused $810 million in damage to New York City hospitals, officials estimated Tuesday.

Alan Aviles, president of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC), said the figure includes the costs of storm response, repairs, revenue loss and permanent reconstruction work to soften the blow of future disasters.

The largest portion of the $810 million estimate covers permanent reconstruction needs, including projects to relocate mechanical gas systems out of hospital basements, retrofit elevators and recreate flood walls. 

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) toured parts of the Coney Island Hospital, which suffered extensive damage in the October storm, on Tuesday.

"This is such a huge institution, and it wasn't that one part of it was hurt, the whole thing was hurt," Schumer told NY1. "The breadth of it is just astounding — how big the job is to rebuild, to get everything back."

HHC's cost estimate includes funds to relocate Coney Island Hospital's emergency department to the first floor, where it will be less vulnerable to flooding.

President Obama signed a bill on Sunday providing $9.7 billion in aid to pay flood insurance claims from Sandy. Republican leaders in the House have promised to act on a more comprehensive aid package Jan. 15.

Read more about the hospital reconstruction plans at Modern Healthcare [free reg. req'd].

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