More Bergen Hospitals Waiving Deductibles For Federal Workers

TEANECK, NJ — Holy Name Medical Center is waiving co-pays and deductibles for furloughed federal employees, the hospital announced Tuesday.

The policy applies to emergency care at the medical center and urgent or necessary visits to the center's specialists and primary care providers. It is in effect until the shutdown ends.

"We don't want the shutdown to be a barrier to medically necessary primary or specialist care, which is why we decided to go beyond the emergency room to ensure access to all levels of appropriate care," said Dr. Adam Jarrett, Holy Name's chief medical officer. "If that helps lift the burden in some small way, we’ve done our jobs as the caregivers of our community."

The center's physician network consists of more than 150 multi-specialty providers throughout Bergen and Hudson counties.

Hackensack University Medical Center enacted a similar policy last week. (See related: Bergen Hospitals Waiving Co-Pays, Deductibles For Federal Workers)

The partial federal government shutdown is now in its 31st day, and 800,000 federal employees are going without pay. That includes some 5,000 New Jersey residents.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com

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