Featured FAN: Allie Nudelman, MPA

Featured FAN: Aconversation with Allie Nudelman, MPA

Each quarter, we feature a Federal Action Network (FAN) member leading the charge on Capitol Hill to protect essential hospitals.

This quarter, we spoke with Allie Nudelman, MPA, assistant vice president, external and regulatory affairs at NYC Health + Hospitals, in New York, about midterm election priorities, the importance of congressional partnerships, and FAN benefits.

After more than five years at NYC Health + Hospitals, what do you enjoy most about your role in external and regulatory affairs? How has the role evolved since you started?

I love telling the NYC Health + Hospitals story. As New York City’s public hospital system and the largest municipal health system in the country, we’re very visible here, via our clinical footprint and our mobile services. But it’s my job to make our delegation aware, to weave this important work into federal policymaking to ensure that legislators understand our patients and what they need. Over the last five years, fiscal and regulatory challenges and the overall political landscape have made the health care landscape even more complicated, and this storytelling can have a huge impact.

What advocacy priorities are you focused on right now, and do you anticipate those shifting as we approach the midterm elections?

The top priority is to mitigate the effects of H.R. 1. The impact to all health systems is clear, but New York, especially NYC Health + Hospitals, is hit particularly hard by a few specific proposals. I’ve been working to make sure our delegation is aware of the impact that this legislation will have on our system and our patients, and legislative and regulatory remedies. And more broadly, my team is focused on responding to the impact [of] federal policy changes more broadly so we can continue to serve our patients.  

What first sparked your interest in health care and public health policy?

I wanted to be a doctor and was bitten by the politics bug along the way! I was very lucky to be a White House intern at the start of the Obama administration during Affordable Care Act negotiations, which gave me a glimpse into health policy development at a national scale. When I returned to New York City, I knew that I wanted to work at the intersection of policy and politics. And New York City is a policy proving ground—the scale is so large that successful policies and programs here become templates for use around the world. It’s an exciting place to work!

What professional achievement at NYC Health + Hospitals are you most proud of so far?

Since I started, I’ve tried to build great relationships with the New York City congressional delegation and offer NYC Health + Hospitals as a true community partner in their work. I’m grateful that we have such strong support, and when they are considering legislation, funding, or other types of policymaking that they call on us for input. NYC Health + Hospitals has been very fortunate to receive over $18 million in funding from Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending requests, which provided critical funding for community-facing programs and infrastructure upgrades.

You previously spent time at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the New York City Council, Public Health Solutions, and the White House Office of Health Reform. What lessons or experiences from those roles most influence your day-to-day work today?

After working across local government for the last 15 years, I’m a true believer in the power of public service. I started off doing constituent services—answering the phones, going to community meetings, doing casework. That type of work wasn’t fancy, but can have an immediate impact on people’s lives. Working in government relations, it’s easy to get bogged down in the politics and jaded by the slow speed of policymaking. I’m grounded in knowing that my work can lead to a stronger hospital system, wider access to care for our patients, and improved health outcomes for New Yorkers.

You’ve been actively involved with America’s Essential Hospitals’ FAN. What do you find most valuable about participating in the network?

Following the constantly shifting political, legislative, and regulatory updates sometimes feels like drinking from a fire hose. I’m grateful for the detailed analyses that come from the FAN and the opportunities you create for members to strategize with each other. In a chaotic time, it helps so much!

Is there something about you that wouldn’t be obvious from your resume? For example, your appearance on “Jeopardy!”?

Jeopardy was absolutely a dream come true! I grew up watching Jeopardy with my family and did bar trivia with friends for many years after college. It took a couple years of taking the test to get the call, but it was so fun and worth all the after-work/weekend studying! While I unfortunately couldn’t upgrade my title from Jeopardy contestant to Jeopardy champion, it’s an experience I’ll always remember.