State Sets Nov. 6 Public Hearing in Englewood, N.J., on RWJBarnabas Takeover of Englewood Hospital

ENGLEWOOD, N.J. — The state will hold a public hearing Nov. 6 on the proposed deal that would put Englewood Hospital under RWJBarnabas Health, according to a legal notice published Oct. 21.

Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Peitz, on behalf of the attorney general, and a representative of the commissioner of health will conduct the joint hearing under the Community Health Care Assets Protection Act, known as CHAPA. It is set for 1 to 2 p.m., or until testimony ends, whichever is later, in the ballroom of the Englewood Field Club, 341 Engle St., the notice says.

Under the proposed definitive agreement, RWJ Barnabas Health Inc. would become the sole member and parent corporation of Englewood Hospital and Medical Center Inc., which does business as Englewood Hospital.

What the deal would do

An earlier notice of the application, published in April, describes the structure:

• RWJBarnabas would become the sole corporate member of Englewood Hospital and Medical Center through a “member substitution.”
• At the same time, Englewood Healthcare Foundation, the Englewood Health parent company, would be merged into the hospital corporation and cease to exist separately.
• The April notice says RWJBarnabas has made “certain financial commitments” to Englewood. It also says RWJBarnabas committed to keep running the hospital as an acute care tertiary hospital, as a separate legal entity with its own board of trustees, for 10 years.

The two systems announced a signed definitive agreement on Jan. 5, 2026, and said state and federal approvals would be needed before the deal could close. The health care workers’ union HPAE, which tracks hospital mergers, describes Englewood as one of the last independent hospitals in New Jersey.

How to take part

According to the Oct. 21 notice:

• People can speak in person or remotely. Pre-registration for both is required at englewoodhealth.org/public-hearing. As of Wednesday afternoon, that page said hearing details, pre-registration and remote access instructions were “forthcoming.”
• Written comments and exhibits can be handed in at the hearing or sent by mail or email to the state Division of Law (Attention: Deputy Attorney General Isabelle Bowers, P.O. Box 106, Trenton, NJ 08625-0106) and the Department of Health’s Office of Legal and Regulatory Compliance (P.O. Box 360, Trenton, NJ 08625-0360). The hearing record closes Nov. 13.
• Spanish and Korean translators will be available. Parking is free and the site is wheelchair accessible. NJ Transit’s 166 and 780 buses stop across from the club.

The April notice says copies of the application, including the agreement, corporate documents and financial information, are available for public inspection at no cost at the state Department of Law and Public Safety.

What comes next

Under CHAPA, the attorney general, in consultation with the health commissioner, reviews the application, and the Superior Court gives final approval or denial. The hearing is part of that review.

The transaction is pending. No state decision has been made.

Sources

• Legal notice: joint public hearing, Oct. 21, 2026
• Legal notice: Notice of Proposed Transaction (CHAPA application), April–May 2026
• Englewood Health: “RWJBarnabas Health and Englewood Health Sign Definitive Agreement,” Jan. 5, 2026
• Englewood Health public hearing page
• HPAE Merger Monitor: Englewood Hospital and RWJBarnabas Health