I also think if the uninsured can afford to buy coverage and does not chose to, their hospital debt for non-emergency visits to the ER should be sold into collections if they don’t pay the bill for the hospital’s services. Enough of the: privatize the profit, socialize the losses. That’s what people who can afford coverage and chose not to buy it do to the rest of us when using the services of the hospital when needed, not paying in full due to the likely high bill, thus leaving the rest of society to pay for it.

I agree with poster # 3, mookie, that lowering $800k administrator salaries to $100k or less will help, but fixing the main problem requires state level changes.

I hope Dawn Zimmer understands the huge challanges the hospital faces, the fact that most in NJ are non-profit and lose big $, and that Hoboken should NEVER be allocating municipal assets towards the bleeding balance sheet of the hospital.

This issue should have been part of the campaign. When the hospital gets sick, every taxpayer in some way is on the hook. Everyone paying for coverage is on the hook as their premiums rise 10-20% annually. Municipal and state wide changes need to be made badly. I think this is way more important than many other issues in town that get more political attention and noise. Long term, the hospital makes owning property in Hoboken very unattractive.

Hoboken has an urgent care center: Prompt MD Urgent Care (1st & Willow). I don’t know if the hospital has any relationship with them or what their policy is regarding uninsured patients unable to pay.

The hospital would be in much better shape if the ER, which is the most expensive form of medical care, wasn’t being used as a primary care MD for the uninsured & unable to pay. The uninsured can’t walk into a regular GP without the ability to pay. The state of NJ, also broke, should reimburse the hospital for services provided more than $0.25/$1 spent. Or medical debt should be allowed to be sold into collections.

Other hospitals have chosen to open small clinics within their hospital to treat the non-ER patients who walk into the ER uninsured & unable to pay. The small clinic within the hospital provides the same treatment at a fraction of what the ER would cost. This is one potential solution for the hospital.

In response to Antinucci who said:

Hey, Romano. Thanks for not blocking Court Street with your fancy, large vehicle. Now we need to work on keeping your large dog on a leash (like every other dog).

Thanks, Antinnuch.

In response to Antinucci who said:

In response to nighthawk who said: