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DPH doing ‘trial’ referral deal in Manila
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Posted on Apr 23 2005
The Department of Public Health has began a “trial” medical referral arrangement with a Manila-based hospital, according to a lawmaker.
Rep. Crispin Ogo, chair of the House Committee on Health and Welfare, said in a recent interview that the department has been pursuing partnership with a company to assist CNMI patients in the Philippines.
“There’s a company that’s helping DPH. It’s been a while that that company assists the CNMI government,” said Ogo.
He declined to disclose the name of the company.
“I’m not really familiar with the details,” said Ogo.
The congressman said it is all part of the government’s effort to save on costs in its referral program.
In a House committee hearing last February, Public Health Secretary James Hofschneider reportedly mentioned a plan to station a medical referral staff in Manila to attend to CNMI patients.
Hofschneider also reportedly said that the department plans to forge an agreement with Asia Pacific Medical Hospital to provide logistical support for the CNMI referral patients.
“These are some options that they want to pursue to help our patients when they are referred there,” Rep. Justo Quitugua said earlier.
This as the House favors the passage of a bill that aims to create a new Manila Liaison Office, citing that such setup would save on health care and travel costs. The Senate, however, is likely to turn down the proposal, House Bill 14-151, believing that it is financially draining.
It cited that the government used to spend up to half a million dollars when it had its liaison office in that country.
Further, senators recently visited Guam and learned that it refers several patients to Manila without keeping a liaison office. Guam, they said, put out an RFP and chose an agent to facilitate the program two years ago.
Guam only spends some $100,000 a year under this setup. It reportedly refers about 25 patients a month to the Philippines.
