These NJ Hospitals Won’t Accept Horizon Insurance Starting In 2026

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — As it stands, two Passaic County hospitals will no longer be accepting a major insurance provider in 2026.

Starting March 1, 2026, St. Joseph’s Health Hospitals in Paterson and Wayne will no longer accept insurance from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

Horizon Health Care is the largest healthcare provider in New Jersey, serving more than 3.5 million people in the state. The contract between Horizon and St. Joseph’s ending is expected to affect around 100,000 patients in Passaic County.

The move comes after months of negotiations between the two agencies. According to St. Joseph’s, Horizon's reimbursements to the hospital network have “not kept up with inflation and are overwhelmingly inadequate to account for the cost of providing safe and quality care.”

For now, patients enrolled in Horizon, including its Medicaid and Medicare programs, can still get care from St. Joseph’s. While the contract has ended, a four-month continuation period allows St. Joseph’s Health to care for Horizon members under the terms of our expired contract.

Officials said that negotiations are still in place, but as it stands, an agreement has not been reached. The hospital network will accept Horizon until March 1.

“Our mission compels us to serve all patients who come to us for care, and this will not change. We will continue to provide safe, compassionate and high-quality care for our patients, treating them with dignity and excellence,” a St. Joseph’s statement reads. “At the same time, we are working to secure fair reimbursement rates that help to maintain long-term sustainability for our important work, protect your ability to receive care from us and avoid any unnecessary care disruptions.”

In the meantime, St. Joseph’s is urging patients to explore different insurance options. The following providers are still in the hospitals’ network:

• United Healthcare
• Aetna
• AmeriHealth
• Fidelis Care
• Clover Health
• WellPoint

For questions and concerns, call St. Joseph’s Health at 973-754-2150.