CarePoint needs more state funding to keep serving vulnerable populations | Opinion

Our hospitals have long been a cornerstone of healthcare in this community, providing essential services to those who need them most. As leaders of CarePoint Health, we are deeply committed to our mission of delivering compassionate, high-quality care to the residents of Hudson County. These mounting financial pressures we face today have reached a tipping point and threaten our ability to continue this vital work.

It's no secret that CarePoint Health's three hospitals serve a significant portion of this community (60% of Hudson County), with 65% percent of our patients being uninsured or underinsured and approximately 80,000 undocumented immigrants rely on our hospitals for care. We treat every patient who walks through our doors regardless of their ability to pay, but this dedication has come with financial challenges that paint an insurmountable picture without an infusion of aid.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit our establishments hard and fast. Our physicians and staff picked up the pace to do everything possible to meet the intense needs that a global pandemic brings to the steps of densely populated areas such as Hoboken, Jersey City and Bayonne – the cities where our hospitals are located. As we provided care to more and more patients – 60,000 charity care patients, 200,000 Medicaid patients, and 12,000 homeless individuals – the costs also reflected rapid exponential growth that was unprecedented for us and many community hospitals across the nation. The economic pressures from inflation and high lease payments — due to not owning the properties where we operate — have only exacerbated these challenges and here we are today.

Despite our commitment to our communities, CarePoint Health has received minimal financial support. For example: CarePoint Health System with two safety net hospitals had received zero dollars up until Dec. 15, 2023, when CarePoint received less than 0.1% of the total distributed to hospitals and less than 0.017% of the American Rescue Plan, which is just a fraction of the $6.9 billion allocated to the state. While this funding provided some relief, it is nowhere near sufficient to create a sustainable future. In addition, CarePoint Health has received zero dollars from FEMA. While a $10 million allocation in the 2023 state budget was a step forward, it is not nearly sufficient to sustain the level of care that Hudson County's residents depend on.

Some have asked: "Why isn't CarePoint Health partnering with other hospitals in the area?"

The reality is that in the past year, we have sought strategic partnerships and alignment with other major healthcare systems in both New Jersey, and regionally. Many systems have either passed on the opportunity or not shown interest due to the high Medicare/Medicaid payor mix and charity care provided along with the fact that we don't own the real estate under the hospitals in which we operate. We are grateful to CarePoint's incredibly dedicated physicians and staff for their commitment to excellence and partnership during this period and will continue to do whatever is possible to ensure that they can continue providing exceptional and essential healthcare service to the communities we serve.

Safety-net hospitals like CarePoint are crucial to the healthcare landscape, providing essential services to those who would otherwise have to travel long distances to get high-quality and affordable healthcare.

These hospitals are not just healthcare providers. They are lifelines for the uninsured, underinsured, and marginalized – communities that will have to bear the burden of traveling unreasonable distances for healthcare if we are not successful.

We call on our state leaders and policymakers to recognize the indispensable role that CarePoint Health plays in our community. Additional state funding is critical to ensure that our hospitals can continue to provide high-quality care to those who need it most.

Since the start of the pandemic, CarePoint's hospitals have cared for more than 290,000 underinsured, uninsured and charity patients across our hospitals and outpatient centers. Currently our emergency departments see hundreds of patients per day, and we admit more than 300 patients per week to our hospitals. We also continue to respond to the mental health crisis with more than 225 behavioral health inpatient admissions per month and operate one of the busiest adolescent mental health inpatient units in the state. Our Neighborhood Health Centers remain open, caring for more than 20,000 uninsured patients annually.

At the end of the day, our primary goal is to ensure that our hospitals can continue to serve our communities in Hudson County with the highest quality of care while remaining a trusted employer of thousands of local residents.

We are dedicated to continuing our mission, but we need the support of the state and our local leaders to make it possible. The time to act is now. Our community's health — and the future of CarePoint Health — depends on all of us. These financial challenges are significant, but they are not insurmountable if we work together.

Hudson County doesn't remember a time without CarePoint Health. Let's hope we never have to find out.