Meadowlands Hospital and insurance co. part ways
Subscribers of Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield recently received letters alerting them that the health insurance carrier’s contract with Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center ended on Feb. 28, the same day the letter was dated.
Due to New Jersey state law, however, “The terms of the contract remain in effect and you and your eligible dependents can continue to receive care at Meadowlands on an in-network basis until July 1, 2011,” the letter states.
Last year, the nonprofit LibertyHealth System sold Meadowlands Hospital to MHA, LLC, a for-profit entity which took control of the facility in December. While local officials have praised the new ownership for its openness to the community and for negotiating labor contracts last summer with the nurses’ union, patients who rely on Meadowlands worried whether the sale would affect their care.
When a hospital moves from nonprofit ownership to for-profit, it’s not unusual for either the hospital or some insurance carriers to cut ties.
If MHA isn’t able to negotiate “reasonable managed care contracts” with local insurers, as it apparently believes it wasn’t with Empire, the company has already informed the state Department of Health and Senior Services that patients of that insurer using Meadowlands Hospital will have to use it as an out of network facility – which can add thousands of dollars to hospitalization costs.
A similar situation unfolded at Bayonne Medical Center after it, too, switched from being a nonprofit facility to a for-profit. Bayonne Medical dropped its contracts with some insurance carriers, forcing the companies to pay full price for hospital services, rather than the discounted rates a contract would provide.
The result patients being told by their insurers that they would have to cover the costs of their treatment.
“Contract negotiations with our participating providers are a standard part of what we do every day to bring you access to a broad network of providers,” the BlueCross letter continues. “The reason Empire negotiates provider contracts is simple – to provide you with a broad network of providers who have agreed to accept negotiated rates and other important contract terms (such as terms that prohibit the provider from balance billing).”
Empire Blue CrossBlue Shield continues to have contracts with Jersey City Medical Center, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, and University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, also in Newark.
Secaucus public defender suing town
Peter Weiner, a Secaucus attorney who also has a contract with the town to serve a few hours each week as public defender, has sued the municipality.
Town Administrator David Drumeler has confirmed that Weiner brought a suit against the town last fall over an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request.
Last year, Weiner requested that various public records be provided to him under the law. Among the records Weiner requested were gas receipts for municipal vehicles, EZ-Pass toll receipts for municipal vehicles, and vehicle identification numbers for all municipally-owned cars, in addition to other information. He also wanted a list of all town-owned vehicles that are assigned on a full-time basis to municipal employees or other public officials.
Two weeks ago, for a story that ran in the Reporter, Drumeler stated that there are eight municipal vehicles assigned to the police chief, the three fire chiefs, the three chiefs in the Department of Public Works, and the buildings inspector.
The Secaucus Police Department has a number of unmarked vehicles that are assigned to undercover officers. But Drumeler said that for security reasons the Police Department does not release information regarding these vehicles.
Weiner’s OPRA request is in line with information requested previously by Jersey City Councilman and self-proclaimed government “reformer” Steve Fulop who represents Ward E. In Jersey City, Fulop has waged a one-man crusade against the assigning of city cars to political cronies and well-connected city workers. Currently about 30 city employees and City Council members are assigned municipal vehicles which they are allowed to use for both official and personal use.
Although Drumeler said the Secaucus Town Clerk complied with Weiner’s OPRA request, Weiner was apparently angry that the voluminous information – which filled up six boxes – was not distilled into organized files and collated.
EZ-Pass toll receipts on the municipal bill, for example, are organized by registration numbers assigned to each EZ-Pass tag. Drumeler said the town gave Weiner information regarding which tag had been assigned to which vehicles. But if Weiner wanted to track toll receipts for specific cars and employees he’d have to cull the information himself.
Believing that this was an OPRA violation Weiner sued the town in Hudson County Superior Court.
When reached for comment last Tuesday, Weiner said he was in court and was unable to speak with a reporter. The next day he said his attorney could answer calls about the case but had a family emergency that prevented him from being available for questions.
It’s unclear what specific information Weiner, who lost the 2009 Democratic Party Primary for mayor against Dennis Elwell, hoped to uncover through his OPRA request. It’s possible the attorney plans another run for the office in the future and hopes to cast himself as a Fulop-style “reformer” in Secaucus.
Drumeler estimated that Secaucus has thus far paid $10,000 in attorney’s fees fighting the case, which the town has asked to be dismissed. Weiner’s attorney has submitted an opposition brief.
The case is before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Bernadette DeCastro.
UNICO tricky tray
T he Secaucus chapter of UNICO will hold a tricky tray on Sun., April 10 from noon until 4 p.m. at LaReggia Restaurant. Tickets are $30.
The fundraiser will benefit UNICO’s scholarship program, through which the civic organization gives scholarships to college-bound graduates of Secaucus High School. Over the last seven years UNICO has given more than $47,000 in scholarships to local students.
Various prizes, including gift baskets and gift cards, will be raffled off as part of the tricky tray.
LaReggia Restaurant is at 40 Wood Ave., Secaucus. To make a donation, call Carol Marra at (201) 723-0528 or Melissa Vogel at (201) 469-6677. To purchase tickets, call Ann at (201) 679-8856 or Stacy at (201) 362-5534.
Blood drive
The American Red Cross encourages New York Ranger fans to show their team spirit by donating blood on Saturday, March 12, 2011 from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. All blood donors will receive a collectable Rangers 85th Anniversary bobblehead figurine! And as if more incentives were needed, donors will also have the chance to meet several Rangers alumni who will be on site and eight randomly selected donors will receive an authentic autographed Rangers 85th Anniversary jersey.
The blood drive will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and Exhibition Center, a New York area hotel located at Two Harmon Plaza in Secaucus.
People who are at least 17, weigh 110 lbs. or more, and who are in good health may be eligible to donate. Please bring a photo ID. Fans who meet these requirements are asked to kindly make an appointment in advance by contacting the American Red Cross at redcrossblood.org/Rangers or by calling 1-800-26-BLOOD.