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Manglona bats for diabetes insurance bill
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Posted on Jun 25 2004
Sen. Paul Manglona has thrown his support behind a measure that would provide comprehensive insurance coverage to people with diabetes, to include their supplies and medication.
In a letter to Senate Committee of Health, Education, and Welfare Program chair Sen. Henry H. San Nicolas, Manglona expressed his support for the passage of Senate Bill 14-19, or the Diabetes Health Maintenance Act of 2004. Manglona introduced the bill on Jan. 2004.
“Ensuring that our residents possess adequate access to insurance that covers diabetes should certainly be a concern of the Legislature, as the residents of the Commonwealth suffer inordinately from this disease,” said Manglona.
The senator added that CNMI residents afflicted with diabetes should have access to insurance, to include coverage for supplies and medications, as well as treatment and education.
According to Manglona, efforts to pass this measure have had a long history. He related that in 2000, former governor Pedro Tenorio vetoed a similar bill, citing the need for additional review.
Tenorio also ordered the creation of the Commonwealth Medical and Health Insurance Task Force and Health Care System Review Commission to conduct a comprehensive study of diabetes-related concerns. However, Manglona said that, up to now, no action has been taken on this.
The senator also said he reviewed comments submitted by insurance firms on the proposed measure, citing Moylan’s Insurance Underwriters’ apprehension in supporting such a bill.
The firm stressed that such a bill that mandates coverage usually drives up the cost of insurance and subsequently drives up the uninsured population. Also, the firm said that coverage for diabetes should be dictated by the insurance carriers and not by government mandate.
But Manglona pointed out that without some sort of government mandate, full diabetes coverage would not exist.
“To date, there has been no such requirement and to date, most insurance carriers do not offer full coverage for diabetes,” the senator said.
Manglona also asked San Nicolas to instruct the Senate legal counsel to revise the bill to clear up minor deficiencies.
