THE House of Representatives on Thursday unanimously approved House Bill 23-87, which would allow the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation to establish a charitable foundation.
All 19 House members present voted for the passage of the amended version of H.B. 23-87, which now goes to the Senate. Rep. Vicente Camacho was excused.
Authored by Rep. Malcolm J. Omar, H.B. 23-87 would authorize CHCC to “receive, hold and expend appropriations, moneys collected for services rendered, grants, donations, or any other funds designated for the use and benefit of the Corporation, and to establish one or more charitable foundations, independent of the Corporation, for the primary benefit of the Corporation.”
Rep. Ralph Yumul, who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, said under the bill as amended, the charitable foundation shall be governed separately from CHCC, and except for one member of the CHCC board of trustees and the corporation’s chief executive officer who will serve as non-voting members, the charitable foundation’s board shall not include any active employees of CHCC.
More support
CHCC Business and Quality Assurance chief operations officer Stephanie Crisostomo expressed support for the bill.
In her testimony, she said she wanted to bring to the lawmakers’ attention “the critical situation facing our government hospital. As you are aware, CHCC has not received the expected government financial support unlike many other state government hospitals and [now] finds [itself] in a challenging position where alternative measures are imperative for sustainability.”
She said while CHCC strives to fulfill its mission of providing healthcare services to the community, “the reality is, the financial support we require has not been forthcoming. At the heart of our request is the simple yet profound truth. We are in the business of saving and improving the quality of people’s lives. CHCC, despite facing financial challenges, remains committed to this noble mission.”
At the end of the day, she said CHCC’s primary focus is on saving people’s lives and ensuring access to essential healthcare services for those who need it most.
“At its core, the establishment of a charitable foundation is not merely about CHCC. It’s about securing the lifeline of an institution that saves lives every day,” she added.
Crisostomo said it is “a call to action for government to prioritize health, to acknowledge that without a healthy population there is no sustainable tomorrow.”
She added, “Let us collectively make that change together and prioritize health in our government. Together we can ensure a healthy and more resilient future for all. CHCC sincerely commends this Legislature on the introduction of this bill, and hopes for your unwavering support in this crucial endeavor for the people of the CNMI.”
For his part, Dr. Martin Rohringer, CHCC’s deputy chief medical officer, noted that he has been in the CNMI for over 30 years now.
“[I’ve been here] long enough to know and tell you firsthand that the strength, knowledge and commitment of our current CHCC leadership is towards the goal of providing the highest level of care for this community,” he said.
He said he was excited about the potential benefits of the foundation and what it can do to improve the overall health of the community.
“I’ve lived through tough times here. Severe understaffing, lack of laboratory supplies, situations where delivering high-level care was challenging. [But] for the past 12 years, there have been impressive improvements, better equipment, better staffing, facility upgrade, all contributing to better care for our community,” he said.
He told lawmakers that CHCC needs H.B. 23-87 “to continue to build on these achievements. A charitable foundation for CHCC could really help mitigate financial adversities and bridge gaps and access to essential resources.”
