REGARDING a recent report by the Office of the Public Auditor stating, among other things, that the Medical Referral Services Office overspent by $27 million during fiscal years 2018 and 2019, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres on Monday said that CNMI patients who need treatment off-island will be sent off-island.
“We can do the blame game. We can blame the administration: ‘Why not put $15 million in the [program’s] budget?’… Or we can blame the Legislature: ‘Why are you not prioritizing [the program]?’… I don’t want to blame [anyone because] at the end of the day, our patients that need to be sent [off-island] will be sent off-island, and if we need to incur…a deficit, I’m willing to take that risk,” the governor said.
He added, “It’s either you [give] up-front $15 million…or we incur a deficit… We hope that this year and the years coming, we’re able to provide better healthcare here for our patients…but, again, at the end of the day, we need to send some of our patients off-island.”
The governor said he has been communicating closely with Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation Chief Executive Officer Esther L. Muna regarding the healthcare services needed by CNMI patients.
“Again, I hope…that we’re able to provide better services here, so that medical referral program patients don’t have to go off-island…. If we’re able to cut half of [the number of CNMI patients who go off-island for medical care] in one year, that will save us in the long run,” he said.
