{"id":413756,"date":"2024-09-16T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-16T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=413756"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-29T14:00:00","slug":"Mu-a-speaks-on-current-healthcare-challenges-with-local-journalists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/Mu-a-speaks-on-current-healthcare-challenges-with-local-journalists\/","title":{"rendered":"Mu\u00f1a speaks on current healthcare challenges with local journalists"},"content":{"rendered":"

The CNMI chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists held their monthly general membership meeting last week with a special appearance from Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.CEO Esther Mu\u00f1a who touched on some of the recent headlines and news cycles about CNMI\u2019s healthcare system.<\/p>\n

Last Friday, Mu\u00f1a joined members of the CNMI SPJ for their monthly general membership meeting where she discussed some of the current issues surrounding CHCC and the CNMI healthcare system.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest issues Mu\u00f1a discussed was the lack of funding for the Health Network Program (previously known as the Medical Referral Program).<\/p>\n

Mu\u00f1a shared that although CHCC is grateful for the recent $380,000 appropriation from both Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and the Saipan and Northern Islands Delegation, it\u2019s only a drop in the bucket compared to the actual expenses of over $3 million projected for the program.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe $380,000 is a drop in the bucket of the $3 million to $6 million projected expenses annually. Our projections in the past year, based on subsistence allowance, lodging, transportation, we projected at least $3 million to about $6 million a year. Unfortunately, the government doesn\u2019t have the $6 million to spare,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Mu\u00f1a added that by law, CHCC\u2014who oversees the HNP\u2014cannot force the government to appropriate funding for the program which leaves them in the current dilemma where they are required to transport patients but have no funds to pay for it.<\/p>\n

\u201cHNP is our responsibility by law, however, the HNP law did not actually identify a funding source for it. It specifically just says CHCC manages [the program] and there is a [specific] portion there in the law that says that we need to project the cost and every quarter. We send that letter to the Legislature when we ask for appropriation. [Currently] we are in a situation\u2014which is also stated in the law\u2014where we cannot force the government to obligate these funds. So here we are spending and yet there is no appropriation, and the law does not allow us to put that debt on the government,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the one hand, as a certified healthcare facility, CHCC has an obligation to transfer patients safely if they need medical attention off-island. We take that responsibility whether the government has money or not. It\u2019s our responsibility that the patient, if they need a high level of care, is transported before they are discharged,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

Mu\u00f1a also expressed that CHCC, when transporting patients for medical care not available in the CNMI, must transport patients to the nearest facility which is Guam. However, because Guam also has its limitations, Mu\u00f1a said the next closest facility is Hawaii and San Diego which can get costly.<\/p>\n

Currently the fiscal year 2025 budget as proposed by the Office of the Governor allocates $800,000 to the HNP program, which is a fraction of the funds needed to continue to provide medical referral services for local patients who need a higher level of medical care.<\/p>\n

Aside from HNP, Mu\u00f1a also touched a little bit on challenges surrounding the CNMI\u2019s Medicaid program and issues surrounding the Community Guidance Center\u2019s use of federal funds.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The CNMI chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists held their monthly general membership meeting last week with a special appearance from Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. CEO Esther Mu\u00f1a, sixth from left, who touched on some of the recent headlines and news cycles about the CNMI\u2019s healthcare system.<\/p>\n

-CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
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