“[House Bill 16-232] is dangerously vague. It does not set a limit for the percentage of the co-pay that would be paid by the employer and the percentage that would be paid by the employee. It does not state what percentage of medical costs not covered by an insurance policy would be paid by the employer or the employee,” she said.
On March 4, Reps. Ralph DLG. Torres, R-Saipan, Stanley T. Torres, R-Saipan, and Victor B. Hocog, Ind.-Rota, introduced the bill, saying that because minimum wage is rising by 50 cents each year, nonresident workers should be able to afford medical insurance.
Doromal is urging all guest workers to attend the scheduled public hearings and ask questions related to the bill.
For those who cannot attend, she encouraged them to send their comments to the legislators
The House Committee on Health, Education and Welfare has already conducted public hearings on H.B 16-232; H.B. 16-72, which proposes to create a visitation right for grandparents; and H.B. 16-173, HD1 or the Medical Consent Act of 2008.
Doromal said guest workers may soon find themselves earning less.
“After averaging the wages, the recruitment fees, and the deductions, and then factoring in the extremely high cost of living in the CNMI including the exorbitant costs of electricity, food and commodities they may find they are not making much more than they could earn in their homelands,” she said.
She expressed doubt that a guest workers receiving $4.55 or $7.50 or even $15 an hour can afford a medical insurance policy.
“What is the coverage for the costs? What is the amount of co-pay a foreign worker would be expected to pay? What benefit is provided for medication?” she asked.
Doromal said legislators should have considered the costs of the policies and the benefits that would be provided.
“Did they consider that some people cannot find a health insurance provider or are charged ridiculously high rates because of age, medical history and pre-existing conditions?” she asked.
In the states, she said, medical insurance becomes more expensive each year, and people receive less coverage, higher co-pays and higher deductibles.
She said medical insurance has become a “legalized scam,” adding that insurance carriers dictate what doctors a patient can select, what pharmacy they can use, and even decide whether to cover high-cost operations, putting patients in life or death situations.
Doromal said health insurance and healthcare costs are so outrageous that nearly two-thirds of all personal bankruptcies filed in the U.S. are related to medical costs.
