Township Committee Set to Discuss Court's Health Care Disclosure Ruling

Township Committee members are expected to discuss Thursday how to proceed following a Superior Court ruling that says Middletown must release employee health coverage information.

The township must disclose the names of employees enrolled in its group health insurance plan, Judge Lawrence M. Lawson ruled on Jan. 7. Middletown officials will discuss the matter, including a potential appeal, during a 7 p.m. executive session.

Middletown resident Lee Brewer filed suit after the township denied a July request for those records, according to the Asbury Park Press.

The township's denial of Brewer's request cited concern that the documents could be combined with other data to "deduce protected information offensive to individual privacy rights under HIPAA," the court ruling reads.

On the agenda for the public portion of the meeting, which begins at 8 p.m., is an ordinance revising summer recreation fees.