Hackensack University Health Network, Meridian Health announce plans to merge

EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. – Two New Jersey hospital networks say they are planning to merge.

Meridian Health and Hackensack University Health Network officials said Thursday that they have signed a memorandum of understanding and are working toward a merger. They said it could be four months before they have a final agreement.

That would need to be approved by regulators.

The new organization would be known as Hackensack Meridian Health and share a board made up of an equal number of trustees from each.