Congressman Nick LaLota Receives Stony Brook Medicine’s Healthcare Policy Leadership Award at 2026 Tick-Borne Disease Symposium

Stony Brook Medicine recognized Congressman Nick LaLota with its inaugural Healthcare Policy Leadership Award for his bipartisan leadership and steadfast advocacy on behalf of public safety-net hospitals like Stony Brook.

The award was presented on May 27 by Executive Vice President William Wertheim during Stony Brook's 2026 Symposium on Tick-borne Diseases. Co-sponsored by the Renaissance School of Medicine's Departments of Medicine and Microbiology and Immunology, the symposium brought together leading researchers, clinicians, and stakeholders to discuss the latest advancements in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and research of vector-borne diseases.

Congressman LaLota, who represents Suffolk County, New York, attended the symposium as part of his longstanding interest and engagement in issues related to tick-borne diseases.

During his remarks, Wertheim highlighted the critical importance of the groundbreaking work being conducted across Stony Brook University and Stony Brook Medicine on tick-borne diseases, an issue that continues to significantly impact Long Island communities.

"The work that our researchers are doing is vital to improving the education, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of vector-borne disease," said Wertheim. "Given the impact of vector-borne disease on Long Island, we are pleased to have Congressman LaLota and his team here today to learn more about this important work."

Wertheim also recognized Congressman LaLota's leadership and partnership in advancing policies that directly support Stony Brook Medicine's mission as Long Island's public academic medical center.

"For generations, Stony Brook Medicine has been more than a hospital system," Wertheim said. "We are a place where families turn in moments of crisis, where groundbreaking research becomes lifesaving treatment, and where patients receive care regardless of their income, background, or circumstances."

A major focus of the recognition centered on Congressman LaLota's leadership in advancing the bipartisan Save Our Safety-Net Hospitals Act, legislation that addressed unintended changes to the Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) funding formula that threatened critical federal support for safety-net hospitals like Stony Brook Medicine.

Wertheim noted that without legislative action, the funding changes would have had a profound impact on Stony Brook Medicine's ability to provide trauma care, cancer treatment, children's health services, emergency medicine, and other specialized healthcare services relied upon by Long Island residents.

"Congressman LaLota stepped up and worked across party lines to champion a bipartisan, commonsense solution," Wertheim said. "Thanks to his persistence and collaboration, the Save Our Safety-Net Hospitals Act became law - helping to protect the financial stability of safety-net hospitals like Stony Brook."

Passage of the Save Our Safety-Net Hospitals Act helps ensure that Stony Brook Medicine can continue serving nearly three million Long Island residents while also conducting cutting-edge clinical research, training the next generation of medical and clinical workers, and supporting thousands of healthcare jobs throughout the region.

Additionally, Stony Brook Medicine announced that it will also present its Healthcare Policy Leadership Award to Senator Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in recognition of their leadership in addressing the DSH funding formula and their efforts to help protect critical federal funding for safety-net hospitals. Both senators have long been strong advocates for Stony Brook, consistently supporting the institution's mission and federal priorities.

In accepting the award, Congressman LaLota emphasized the importance of collaboration between his office and Stony Brook, particularly the University's Office of Federal Relations, in helping lawmakers better understand the needs of the institution and the communities it serves.

In his remarks, he also noted the important role the Federal Relations office plays in informing him and his staff of the key issues impacting Stony Brook, including the real-world impact those issues have on students, patients, researchers, healthcare providers, and the broader Long Island community.

Congressman LaLota highlighted how that partnership helps his office work alongside University and Medicine leadership to develop thoughtful legislative solutions that address the institution's needs and strengthen healthcare, research, and education across the region.