The free services however will only cover its tertiary services such as Cancer Treatment and hemodialysis.
Health Minister Dr. Stevenson Kuartei in an interview said that the three FAS countries are three distinct nations and should not be lumped together.He said Palauans who migrated in the U.S. are contributing members of the society and the issues of each free associated states should be desegregated.The State of Hawaii is preparing to reduce by Sept. 1, the free medical services provided to citizens of the Marshall Islands, Palau and Federated States of Micronesia.Kuartei qualified that there are only certain health services that the State of Hawaii is actually providing for free.In order to restore the services, the Palau government must take up the matter to the United States federal government and that the concerns not directed towards the State of Hawaii. Kuartei said that under the Compact of Free Association between the US government it must look after the needs of Palauans who now live in the U.S.“Palau gave up something in order to negotiate that treaty. So it is to some extent the responsibility of the United States to make sure our residents who migrate to the United States regardless of where they are, are taken care of because of that relationship,” he said.He said that anybody from Palau who migrate anywhere in the world including the United States must not be treated as a burden and should be accepted as a positive impact.
