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Lawmaker mulls medical aid bill
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Posted on Nov 30 1998
A lawmaker is exploring the possibility of introducing a bill that will relieve indigents the burden of paying for their own medical bills in light of the deepening economic crisis in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Rep. Max Olopai said there is a pressing need to introduce such program considering the poor financial condition of the NMI.
“We will try to come up with a program that will help those people who cannot afford to pay for their medical bills,” Olopai said.
The legislator was particularly concerned on people with diabetes.
Berthillia John Camacho, a nurse at the Division of Public Health, said authorities must first determine who are indigents, considering that the Northern Marianas currently doesn’t have a standard poverty level baseline.
“It’s very hard to determine who are indigents because we don’t have a poverty level baseline. Whenever we apply for a federal grant we have to draw the line who’s below (the poverty level) income,” Camacho said.
However, others said any worker earning $18,000 and below every year is considered an indigent, although the government has not confirmed if this was acceptable.
Camacho said even those who are understood to be in the middle income bracket could now qualify as indigents.
“Most of our patients are clerks, secretaries, worrying about car payment, housing payment. Establishing a program that will help indigents (will surely be a blessing for them),” she said.
