Union City is now home to a new multicultural health care facility. Sanitas Medical Center is currently accepting appointments for January 2018. Two more centers are slated to open in Belleville and Jersey City in early 2018. Sanitas Medical Centers provide culturally relevant health focused on patient convenience and personalized care. The Union City center, located at 3196 Kennedy Blvd., will address patients' everyday health care needs in one location––with an onsite Horizon Connect retail center providing a unique member/patient experience. It allows families to focus on getting healthier rather than the logistics of getting care.

Hispanics are the largest minority group in the state and projected to continue to increase substantially, according to the latest U.S. census data. Union City and a cluster of Hudson Countycommunities house one of the highest concentration of Hispanics. Evidence is obvious along Bergenline Avenue, with row after row of Hispanic-owned businesses. In turn, this growth creates demands for more linguistically and culturally relevant health care services that appropriately address common health disparities suffered among the Hispanic population.

This forward-looking collaboration between Sanitas Medical Centers and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is an initiative that implements culturally relevant health care, emphasizing the connection between the individual, the family, and the community. The medical centers are independently owned and operated by Sanitas and will provide family primary care services, comprehensive urgent care, laboratory and diagnostic imaging services, as well as educational programs in wellness and disease management.

"We have selected a great medical team of local doctors, nurses and staff, and we're thrilled to start caring for the community of Union City," said Dr. Fernando Fonseca, Sanitas Chief Executive Officer. "Our approach to care is centered on our patients and their families, giving them more time with their doctor and the convenience of a one-stop medical center for their everyday health care needs. Our expansion in New Jersey will continue to build upon our success in Florida and Connecticut as well as over 40 years of experience providing quality care to over 3 million people in South America."

"Our goal is to be there for people in the Latino community where they live and work in every corner of New Jersey. The Sanitas Medical Centers will be vital by providing access to much needed medical care as an alternative to the emergency room setting," said Kevin Conlin, Horizon BCBSNJ Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. "Through grassroots marketing, a culturally-sensitive approach and intensive person-to-person outreach Horizon has had great success in helping the Hispanic consumer. We remain committed to serving the Hispanic members who hold individual insurance."

About Sanitas

Sanitas is a leading multinational health business group with presence in the United States, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil and Mexico. Sanitas also includes educational and socially-focused organizations that complement its world of health mission. In the United States, Sanitas has 13 medical centers in Florida, Connecticut and now in New Jersey, offering a robust primary care model in collaboration with local leading health insurance organizations. A unique integrated care model that improves access to quality and culturally relevant primary care while reducing total cost of care.

To learn more about Sanitas expansion in New Jersey visit mysanitas.com/nj

About Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the state's oldest and largest health insurer is a tax-paying, not-for-profit health service corporation, providing a wide array of medical, dental, and prescription insurance products and services. Horizon BCBSNJ is leading the transformation of health care in New Jersey by working with doctors and hospitals to deliver innovative, patient-centered programs that reward the quality, not quantity, of care patients receive. Learn more at www.horizonblue.com. Horizon BCBSNJ is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association serving more than 3.8 million members.