Ocean Medical Center Waives Co-Pays For Unpaid Federal Workers

BRICK, NJ — Ocean Medical Center and its parent company, Hackensack Meridian Health, are joining the growing number of companies and organizations trying to ease the impact of the government shutdown on federal employees.

The hospital network announced it is waiving co-pays and deductibles for emergency visits at all of our network hospitals and urgent care centers for furloughed federal employees and their insured family members.

"We have seen the financial impact the federal government shut down has had on many families and we want to ensure that people will receive the care they need without worrying about the cost," Robert C. Garrett, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health, said in the announcement. "We believe that we need to step forward and do our part to help furloughed federal employees and their families."

The shutdown, the longest in the nation’s history, impacts 800,000 federal employees, including 5,000 New Jersey residents.

Furloughed federal employees and their covered family members can seek emergency care at Hackensack Meridian Health’s 17 hospitals and network of urgent care centers without incurring co-pays and deductibles. The policy went into effect on Jan. 18.

"We are keenly aware of the burden that this shutdown has placed on our patients who are federal employees," said Robert Glenning, chief financial officer of Hackensack Meridian Health. "We are eager to do our part to ease some of the financial worries these families are facing."

In addition to Ocean Medical Center, Hackensack Meridian Health also operates Shore Rehabilitation Institute in Brick.

Click here to get Patch email notifications on this or other local news articles or get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our app. Download here.

Follow Brick Patch on Facebook. Have a news tip? Email karen.wall@patch.com

Image via Google Maps