THE management of Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. on Tuesday assured its employees that it is actively working on resolving the delayed release of their tax rebates.
In a memorandum, CHCC Chief Executive Officer Esther L. Muna informed the employees about the recent developments regarding the distribution of CNMI tax rebates for CHCC staff.
She noted that on Thursday, May 9, CHCC received reports that the distribution of CHCC staff tax rebates had been put on a temporary hold for the first batch of distribution. These reports, Muna said, were substantiated by email responses and statements made by the Department of Finance-Division of Revenue & Taxation employees on the following day, Friday, May 10.
Muna assured the employees that the CHCC leadership “is actively working on resolving this issue so that all employees receive their tax rebates as they are entitled without further delay.”
“We understand the importance of these rebates to our staff, and we are committed to resolving this issue as swiftly as possible. I recognize the frustration and inconvenience that this delay may have caused, and I want to thank you for your patience and understanding during this time,” she added.
Muna said the matter of offsets involving CNMI government payments owed to CHCC is under review by the appropriate legal counsel through the Office of the Attorney General.
She said unremitted payments to CHCC have been a significant challenge and have been the reason for negotiated offsets throughout the years. For instance, she said, since the inception of CHCC, the CNMI government has yet to remit its state share of Medicaid funding.
In fiscal year 2023, federal Medicaid funding reached its cap, resulting in the CNMI government’s additional debt of $8.6 million, which is owed to CHCC.
Muna said in line with the recommendations from Attorney General Edward Manibusan, “we have requested to meet with the Secretary of Finance. However, the timing of these meetings is contingent upon her and key individuals’ availability, and we are waiting patiently.”
Muna added, “We will continue to provide updates as soon as more information becomes available. Rest assured: we are diligently pursuing every avenue to expedite the process to discuss this important matter. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to your department head.”
Muna and other CHCC officials met with Finance Secretary Tracy B. Norita on Tuesday and came up with a mutual agreement. For now, Muna said she cannot disclose more details.
