Hospital's bankruptcy stokes talks on merger in Hudson County

The collapse of a deal to buy an ailing Jersey City hospital could renew merger talks in Hudson County, NJ, where a state-authorized report recommended that three hospitals consolidate services to save money. Christ Hospital filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week, after a private company, Prime Healthcare, withdrew its offer to purchase the money-losing hospital. The failed bid could lead Christ and two other hospitals—Bayonne Medical Center and Jersey City Medical Center—to combine services as recommended in the market study.