U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan on Thursday introduced H.R. 3260 or the Northern Mariana Islands Medicaid Equivalent Act which proposes to increase CNMI Medicaid funding to $90 million from $66 million.
In his e-newsletter Kilili said his bill would provide a Medicaid grant to the CNMI “that matches that of American Samoa — a territory with virtually the same population and income levels.”
“This would effectively increase our Medicaid funding from $66 million to $90 million,” Kilili added.
He said his bill is a continuation of his efforts to correct the historical disparity in Medicaid funding that began when the CNMI still had no voice in the U.S. Congress.
Kilili said H.R. 3260 “is also a response to the projected financial shortfall in Medicaid funding that Governor Palacios reported to me in April.”
He said while Medicaid funding for the CNMI for fiscal year 2023 has already been allotted, “this legislation would help ensure that in future years, Medicaid enrollees in the Marianas would have reliable access to federally funded healthcare.”
Acting Medicaid Director Vicenta Borja has informed Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang that the CNMI is facing a $20.7 million financial shortfall if the remaining $19.3 million Medicaid funds will be used to make retroactive payments to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. going back to October 2022.
If CNMI Medicaid does not pay CHCC retroactively, the shortfall will be up to $8.4 million.
Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan
