Fitial, U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. John P. de Jongh, Jr. and Guam Gov. Felix P. Camacho wrote to Nancy Ann E. Min DeParle, counselor to the president and director of the Office for Health Reform, to help them get the territories the same health subsidies that states in the mainland are getting.
According to the three governors, a recent analysis on the healthcare bill that was reported out by the Senate Health Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, indicate that the territories would be subject to only a 55 percent Federal Medical Assistance Percentages or FMAP rate.
The governors said this is “a significant disparity in comparison to the states.”
“The healthcare reform bill, now being crafted, offers a historic opportunity to address and remedy longstanding discriminatory treatment of U.S. citizens in the insular areas of the United States in federal health care policy. The Finance Committee bill, while incorporating modest improvements, would still leave American citizens in the U.S. territories severely disadvantaged in comparison with their fellow Americans on the mainland, particularly with respect to the coverage of the newly eligibles,” they said.
They said it is unfair to require expansion of Medicaid coverage to non-traditional eligibles in the territories which are facing significant fiscal challenges.
“These disparities can be significantly reduced if the merged legislation makes clear that the extended FMAP for new eligibles also applies to the U.S. territories,” they noted in their letter which was also sent to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and President Obama’s Chief of Staff Rahm I. Emanuel.
The governors said their islands need the White House’s assistance to provide quality health care services to the public.
“Most importantly, it would represent a significant step forward in fulfilling the president’s commitment to provide equal treatment for the territories and to ensure that federal health care benefits are available to all Americans, regardless of where they reside,” they said.
