The North Shore-LIJ Health System is the largest employer on LI, the third-largest private employer in NYC, and the nation’s third largest non-profit healthcare system. Michael Dowling, President & CEO of North Shore-LIJ discusses LI’s healthcare industry, what changes are in store as President Obama’s Affordable Healthcare Act takes shape and what else lies ahead for the future of Long Island’s healthcare industry.

Suffolk County is one of the richest counties in America, yet it has faced a large budget deficit in recent years. Suffolk County Comptroller Joseph Sawicki Jr. joins Long Island Business Report to discuss the issues impacting the county coffers and his bold proposal to have Long Island become its own state, which he says would save the region billions of dollars a year.

One of the toughest issues facing LI is its untenable housing market. Marianne Garvin of the Long Island Development Corporation and Peter J. Elkowitz, Jr. of the Long Island Housing Partnership discuss the difficulties of affording to live on the Island and the solutions to keep people from leaving.

With a growing science and engineering talent base and an increase in research and development funding, LI has the potential to become a leading innovator. Dr. Bruce Stillman, President of CSH Laboratory and Dr. Benjamin Hsaio, Vice President for Research at Stony Brook University, provide insight into their own institutions and an outlook for the region’s growing impact in the research field.

Long Island’s non-profit agencies account for a significant share of the region’s jobs and are one of the fastest growing segments of the Long Island economy. David Okorn of the Long Island Community Foundation and Randi Dresner of Island Harvest discuss the role of non-profits throughout the region and the overall challenges of managing non-profits through difficult economic times.