To the Editor:
Bayonne Health Consortium is bombarding Bayonne residents with misleading full-page ads in the BCN pleading “Keep Bayonne Healthcare Local” in its effort to keep Barnabas Health from opening a satellite ER (i.e. competition) in Bayonne. There is nothing hometown “local” about a medical facility that has no competition and has nationally recognized excessive billing practices, actually ranked the highest in the nation. Yes, Bayonne residents are billed many times more for the same services as wealthy patients in Beverly Hills.
The New York Times reported that CarePoint Medical Center billed Medicaid 4.1 times the national average for the same services. For a low-impact stroke, they charged “5.6 times the national average and 23.6 times what Medicare paid.” The NYT also reported that the quality of services only ranked in the 50th percentile.
Does Bayonne really need this level of service? Aren’t we entitled to some healthy competition when choosing very personal healthcare?
In its full-page ad, Bayonne Health Consortium cites:
1. “Unnecessary transfer of patients to JCMC for serious injuries.
2. “Undermining local employment” … In my opinion, I doubt it. Barnabas will likely need to hire more staff.
3. “Disturb the neighborhood” … I doubt it. Barnabas has ample parking. And how many ER admittances happen at BMC, anyway?
Bayonne residents need to make a choice on our future medical care options and act on it now before it is too late.
1. Call and email the contacts under the “Hey Trenton” ad in the Bayonne Community News and say “We need Barnabas having a satellite ER in Bayonne!”
2. Sign the petition on Change.org ‘”Just say NO!” … to CarePoint Health System Bayonne Medical Center.” (Go to the search symbol / magnifying glass in upper right and type “CarePoint;” it will come up).
Your healthcare and wallet depend on creating healthy heath care competition in Bayonne.
BAER HANUSZ-RAJKOWSKI
