Will Horizon Insurance Stay In Network With Large NJ Hospital System? Decision Reached

NORTH JERSEY, NJ — Months after a large hospital system based in Bergen County warned it might have to drop a major insurance company from its network, both have agreed to a contract, the hospital announced Monday afternoon.

Hackensack Meridian Health had said in January that it would terminate its 18 hospitals and facilities from the Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield network as of June 1, if they couldn't agree on services and care.

This meant that 3.7 million New Jersey residents, including a million using Medicaid, might have to pay much higher prices at the doctor's office and hospital.

Hackensack Meridian has hospitals throughout the state, including Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune, Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, and JFK Medical Center in Edison.

Thanks to their agreement, the hospital system said Monday, "patients with Horizon insurance plans will continue to have uninterrupted, in-network access to Hackensack Meridian Health’s doctors, hospitals, and facilities across the state," the hospital system said Monday.

“As New Jersey’s largest health network, Hackensack Meridian Health is committed each day to ensuring that our patients have access to high-quality, innovative patient care,” said Robert Garrett, the CEO Hackensack Meridian Health.

“All of us in health care have an obligation to work to make health care more affordable and accessible,” said Gary D. St. Hilaire, Horizon’s chairman and CEO.

It's common for hospitals and health insurance companies to grapple over terms of their contract; last May, Hackensack also said that Aetna might be dropped from their coverage, but the two parties reached a resolution.

For questions about Horizon benefits, those in the plan were encouraged to call 848-245-8241.

Hackensack Meridian Health is a not-for-profit health care organization withmore than 500 facilities, including ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, ambulance services, air medical transportation, urgent care centers, and more. 7,000 doctors are in their network.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is the state’s largest and oldest health insurer, headquartered in Newark with offices in Hopewell, they said.