SAIPAN – The CNMI’s population is sick and becoming sicker by the year. For local families it seems funerals are an almost weekly occurrence and too many of those dying are in their 40s and 50s.
Presently, NMI’s medical referral program has 200 approved patients awaiting a trip off-island for health care.
There is only one problem; who is going to pay for the treatment tab.
The MRP was allotted a little less than $2.5 million for FY2012 even though the NMI spent nearly double that in 2011.
One doctor who requested anonymity broached the subject with candidness.
“Whether we call it rationing or not, we’re already living it ... the government has no local match-money for Medicaid and off-island providers in Guam and Hawaii defer the cases because they are already owed so much money,” the physician stated.
According to Ronald Sablan, manager of medical referral services, the doctor was correct.
“It’s very difficult to get off-island appointments for medical referrals ... one provider on Guam now requests a 50 percent pre-payment from patients because they are due such a large amount of Medicaid reimbursements.”
The catch-22 was not lost on Sablan.
“Asking a poverty-level patient on Medicaid to pay half the cost upfront is an impossible hurdle. ... Guam and Hawaii providers want to help us but they are also under pressure with their own low-income populations,” explained the person who bears the brunt of patient frustrations as off-island appointments become increasingly problematic.
“I’ve actually suggested several times to the administration that the program be suspended except for emergency cases,” Sablan stated.
In other words, triage rationing as it is practiced on the battlefield. Treat those first who have more than a 50 percent chance of being saved and get to the low-survival percentage cases as resources are available.
NMI medical referral on life support
- Friday, 01 Jun 2012 03:00am
- BY TAMMY DOTY | VARIETY NEWS STAFF
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