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Valley Hospital : Consumers Skeptical of Horizon’s Motives

Valley Hospital theridgewoodblog.net 131
August 10th 2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Valley Hospital continues to raise objections to Horizon’s OMNIA two tier hospital rating designations .

In and email Valley Pointed out , “Horizon’s OMNIA plan set up a two-tiered system that rewards some hospitals with Tier 1 designations and essentially punishes others by designating them as Tier 2 and imposing higher copays on many patients. Horizon’s scheme uses huge hospital systems as its Tier 1 base, while excluding some of the state’s best and highest-rated hospitals.

There was no public process or known criteria by which hospitals and physicians were ultimately assigned to a tier, nor is there any public path to move to another tier. And Horizon still refuses to publicly divulge its mysterious selection process.

It’s no wonder why a recent poll indicated that voters and Horizon customers indicated strong trust concerns with New Jersey’s insurance giant. According to an Anzalone, Liszt, and Grove research poll,1 61 percent agree that Horizon “puts profits ahead of people,” while 55 percent of Horizon’s customers who were surveyed also agreed. In fact, 57 percent of those polled also agreed that Horizon “has too much influence and power in New Jersey,” while 61 percent of Horizon’s own customers who were surveyed said the same thing.”

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Looking at the larger picture : the Ridgewood teachers’ contract is one of the highest in the county

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Looking at the larger picture

FEBRUARY 5, 2016    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Looking at the larger picture

To the editor,

As a former nine year member of the Ridgewood Board of Education I would like to recognize and thank the current five members of the Board for their service. Only a few of us fully understand the position that they find themselves in during the time of teacher negotiations.

These five community members are up against the most powerful union in New Jersey. While their conversations are with representatives of the Ridgewood Education Association, the NJEA is right behind the curtain. At the same time each member when they were sworn into office, they took an oath. The oath was pretty much their commitment to play by the established rules. Public education is a regulated industry. Knowing the five members of our Board, I have no doubt that they are doing everything possible to reach a settlement with the REA within the established constraints and what is feasible for all parties. I can understand that the REA may not like those constraints.

I know the fact finder is scheduled to come to Ridgewood, shortly. Unfortunately, it is not one of those situations that after a few hours of meetings the fact finder will appear on the steps of the Education Center and make a declaration of the facts. However, those financial facts will probably rule the day in a report issued weeks later.

Looking at the larger economic picture, we know that the salary guide in the Ridgewood teachers’ contract is one of the highest in the county. We know that the offered state health benefit plan is one of the best, if not the best available in the program. For those of us employed outside of the teaching profession, we have seen stagnant salaries for a number of years and have experienced job insecurity. As to health benefits, we may be contributing the same percentage to our health care premiums, but the plan in which we are enrolled is probably a lot different today than it was a few years ago. The days of $10 copays have been replaced with high deductible plans.

I know teachers have and will continue to express their views at the microphone during public comment of BOE meetings. They have every right to do that. But, does not every issue have two sides? I firmly believe our Board is doing everything possible.

Bob Hutton

Ridgewood

https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/ridgewood-news-letter-looking-at-the-larger-picture-1.1506624