Hackensack Meridian Health Waives Co-Pays and Deductibles for Emergency Care for Furloughed Federal Employees and Families

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Jan 18, 2019, 10:32 ET

EDISON, N.J., Jan. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hackensack Meridian Health, New Jersey's largest health network, announced today that it will waive co-pays and deductibles for emergency visits at all network hospitals and urgent care centers for furloughed federal employees and their insured family members.

"We have seen the financial impact the federal government shut down has had on many families and we want to ensure that people will receive the care they need without worrying about the cost,'' said Robert C. Garrett, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health.

"We believe that we need to step forward and do our part to help furloughed federal employees and their families,'' Mr. Garrett said.

The shutdown, now in its 26^th day and the longest in the nation's history, impacts 800,000 federal employees, including 5,000 New Jersey residents.

Furloughed federal employees and their covered family members can seek emergency care at Hackensack Meridian Health's 17 hospitals and its vast network of urgent care centers without incurring the cost of co-pays and deductibles. The policy goes into effect January 18.

"We are keenly aware of the burden that this shutdown has placed on our patients who are federal employees,'' said Robert Glenning, Chief Financial Officer of Hackensack Meridian Health. "We are eager to do our part to ease some of the financial worries these families are facing.''

The network reaches two-thirds of the state population. In addition to 17 hospitals, the network has more than 500 patient locations from Bergen to Ocean counties.

ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH

Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the largest, most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care.

Hackensack Meridian Health comprises 17 hospitals from Bergen to Ocean counties, which includes three academic medical centers – Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, JFK Medical Center in Edison; two children's hospitals - Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital in Hackensack, K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital in Neptune; nine community hospitals - Ocean Medical Center in Brick, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair, Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin, Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge, and Pascack Valley Medical Center in Westwood; and two rehabilitation hospitals - JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison and Shore Rehabilitation Institute in Brick; and a behavioral health hospital, Carrier Clinic in Belle Mead.

Additionally, the network has more than 500 patient care locations throughout the state which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, fitness and wellness centers, rehabilitation centers, urgent care centers and physician practice locations. Hackensack Meridian Health has 33,000 team members, and 6,500 physicians and is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy, committed to the health and well-being of the communities it serves.

The network's notable distinctions include having four hospitals among the top 10 in New Jersey by U.S. News and World Report. Other honors include consistently achieving Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center and Top 150 Places to Work in Healthcare/2018 by Becker's Healthcare.

Hackensack Meridian Health partnered with Seton Hall University to launch the only private medical school in New Jersey – Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University. Additionally, the network partnered with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer to find more cures for cancer faster while ensuring that patients have access to the highest quality, most individualized cancer care when and where they need it.

Hackensack Meridian Health is a member of AllSpire Health Partners, an interstate consortium of leading health systems, to focus on the sharing of best practices in clinical care and achieving efficiencies.

For additional information, please visit www.HackensackMeridianHealth.org

SOURCE Hackensack Meridian Health