Hudson Regional Hospital in Secaucus, N.J., has reached an agreement with a land owner to acquire and operate two New Jersey hospitals owned by CarePoint Health, according to NJ.com. The agreement undercuts negotiations that already were underway between CarePoint and other prospective buyers.
Under the agreement, Hudson Regional would purchase and operate Bayonne (N.J.) Medical Center and Hoboken (N.J.) University Medical Center, while taking over the lease from Avery Eisenreich, the owner of the land that the hospitals sit on.
Hudson Regional and Mr. Eisenreich reached the agreement.
But CarePoint Health already had been in negotiations with two different buyers to transfer ownership of its hospitals.
Last October, West Orange, N.J.-based RWJBarnabas Health signed a letter of intent to acquire Hoboken University Medical Center and Jersey City-based Christ Hospital from CarePoint Health. In addition, BMC Hospital in Bayonne, said in March it reached a deal to acquire Bayonne Medical Center.
Those deals are reportedly being held up by Mr. Eisenreich, also the owner of nursing home chain Alaris Health, who has significant stakes in the hospitals. Mr. Eisenreich owns the property that Bayonne Medical Center sits on and 70 percent of the property at Hoboken University Medical Center. He also holds a 25 percent business stake in Hoboken University Medical Center.
CarePoint Health, which has been trying to sell its New Jersey hospitals for months, said that this agreement reached by Mr. Eisenreich is another attempt to interfere with the sale process.
CarePoint has already sued Mr. Eisenreich and Alaris Health for interfering with its efforts to sell Bayonne Medical Center and Hoboken Medical Center.
"Mr. Eisenreich’s baseless attempt to replace the management, staff and employees of Hoboken Hospital and Bayonne Medical Center is insulting to the management, staff and employees of Hoboken Hospital and Bayonne Medical Center who have worked and continue to tirelessly work to treat and heal COVID and other patients," CarePoint spokesperson told NJ.com. "Eisenreich’s new attempt to interfere with the sale process would also leave Christ Hospital as a standalone facility without a potential suitor and jeopardize its future."
Hudson Regional confirmed to NJ.com that it did reach an agreement with Mr. Eisenreich.
"We are looking forward to sharing with these constituents our vision for health care to the broader Hudson County region as we proceed through the process of securing necessary approvals to become the operator of Bayonne Medical Center and Hoboken University Medical Center," Hudson Regional said.
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