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Hearing set on partial suspension of interisland medical referrals
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Posted on Jun 26 2011
The Rota and Tinian Legislative Delegations will hold a joint hearing this Thursday on the suspension of government-paid Rota and Tinian patients’ trips to Saipan to receive follow-ups, checkups, and other non-emergency medical services at the Commonwealth Health Center.
For several weeks now, patients from Rota and Tinian have had to pay for their own airfare coming to Saipan to avail of medical services at CHC, according to Sen. Juan Ayuyu (Ind-Rota), chairman of the Rota Legislative Delegation.
He said those who cannot afford to pay for their own airfare opt to just remain on Rota and Tinian and forego medical checkups or follow-ups.
Ayuyu said there’s no telling whether these patients could be reimbursed for airfare expenses.
Rota and Tinian patients, however, once they get to CHC, get the medical care they need.
Senate President Paul Manglona (Ind-Rota) said the problem with patients holding back on medical trips because they cannot afford to pay for their own airfare is that their medical conditions could worsen by foregoing checkups or follow-ups.
“And when it gets worse, it becomes an emergency. Then the government has to really use the helicopter to send them to Saipan, and that’s more costly than paying for their trip to Saipan and get checked at CHC,” Manglona said.
The senators said it costs $219 per patient to travel back and forth between Rota and Saipan, and $84 between Tinian and Saipan.
Manglona said the same types of services provided to Saipan patients should also be provided to Rota and Tinian patients.
“It’s a central government obligation to provide the same medical service to all patients,” he said.
The public hearing will be held on Thursday, June 30, at 10am in the Senate chamber on Capital Hill.
