Hackensack Meridian pledges $200m for Hunterdon Health deal

Hunterdon Health signed a formal agreement Tuesday to join Hackensack Meridian Health, which pledged $200 million for Hunterdon facilities, programs and communities, according to a press release cited by NJ.com.

The deal would add Hunterdon’s 184-bed teaching hospital and more than 30 practices to Hackensack Meridian’s 18-hospital network, while adding a separate $30 million rollout of Epic, an electronic health-record system.

The agreement follows a letter of intent the two organizations signed in June. The transaction still requires approval from state and federal authorities before it can close, NJ.com reported.

“Today we’re making real commitments to the people of Hunterdon County and the surrounding communities,” Hackensack Meridian President and CEO Robert C. Garrett said in the press release. “Hunterdon Health has a long history of excellent, community-centered care.”

Under the agreement, Hunterdon Health would retain local board oversight for six years. It would also receive a seat on Hackensack Meridian’s board of trustees and representation on other boards and committees.

The Epic rollout would cover Hunterdon Medical Center, ambulatory sites, Hunterdon Medical Group and participating independent physicians. Electronic health-record systems are used to store, access and coordinate patient information across clinical settings.

The agreement also calls for a community advisory committee to provide input on local health needs. Hunterdon Medical Center would keep its medical staff leadership and peer-review structure, according to the agreement.

Hunterdon Health Foundation, the fundraising arm for Hunterdon Health, would continue separately and keep supporting Hunterdon Medical Center and its services. Hunterdon Medical Group would remain an employment option for physicians for at least five years, and Hunterdon Health’s clinically integrated network would continue for at least five years.

Hunterdon Health includes a teaching hospital in Raritan Township near Flemington and practices across Hunterdon, Somerset, Mercer, Warren and Morris counties. Hackensack Meridian operates 18 hospitals and more than 400 patient-care locations in New Jersey.

“This agreement reflects months of careful work and a shared commitment to what matters most: our patients, our employees, our physicians, and our communities,” Hunterdon Health President and CEO Kristy Alfano said in the press release.

The proposal comes four years after Hackensack Meridian’s planned combination with Englewood Hospital failed. The Federal Trade Commission blocked that transaction, arguing Hackensack Meridian would control three of six hospitals in Bergen County if the deal proceeded.

No closing date was provided in the reported agreement. The next step is review by state and federal entities.

Source: news report, NJ.com, Oct. 20, 2026