NJ hospital group asks for delay of new referral list
SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY MARY JO LAYTON
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
A group representing Catholic hospitals in New Jersey is asking the state to delay the rollout of a plan by New Jersey’s largest insurer, saying it excludes nearly 90 percent of Catholic hospitals.
The president of Catholic HealthCare Partnership of New Jersey said Catholic hospitals could be forced to close their doors – resulting in the loss of health care access for uninsured residents – if the proposal by Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield goes into effect.
The concerns raised Tuesday by the group and by Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, D-Englewood, add to the backlash over a plan to create a tier system that would funnel patients to select hospitals.
Patients could use other hospitals, but their out-of-pocket costs would be higher.
“Insurance companies should not be able to dictate which of our state’s hospitals succeed and which ones fail,” said Sister Patricia Codey, president of the Catholic HealthCare Partnership of New Jersey, whose members include nine acute health care systems, specialty hospitals and other facilities.
“Horizon’s decision will undoubtedly make it more difficult for Catholic hospitals to continue our mission of providing access to health care for New Jersey’s poor and underinsured citizens,” Codey said.
After the plan was made public this month, executives at hospitals left off the list of the select group known as “Tier One” questioned how the list was formed.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/health-news/nj-hospital-group-asks-for-delay-of-new-referral-list-1.1421509
