CHC urged to restore aid program for indigents

Clients of the Medically Indigent Assistance Plan of the Commonwealth Health Center are calling for the program’s restoration after its unexpected shutdown last year.

Bradley Tisa, a 32-year-old father of four, has no idea about the status of his pending MIAP renewal application. Tisa’s MIAP card expired in July 2011 and he immediately submitted the requirements for renewal. The then MIAP office staffer told him to wait for five to 10 days for the result. That didn’t happen because when he followed up on his application, the MIAP office had already shut down.

Since then, Tisa hasn’t heard about his application and was even confused when told to go to the Governor’s Office to direct his follow up, only to be referred back to CHC.

Tisa and his wife Nina are covered by the MIAP card, which has a yearlong validity. The couple had been a beneficiary of the program since 2002, entitling them to a 75-percent discount on prescription drugs from PHI Pharmacy.

Riden Fiden, 62, also expressed frustration with the unexpected closure of the program, saying that recipients were never properly informed about it, creating a lot of confusion.

Saipan Tribune learned that Fiden’s MIAP card covers his wife and four children. The family has been availing of this program since 1995. Fiden also wants to renew his expired card but doesn’t know where to go.

Fiden and Tisa shared that the MIAP program was a tremendous help as they only had to pay 25 percent of the cost of their prescription drugs.

On a monthly basis, each family spends over $100 for prescription drugs, depending on the number of family members who get sick.

MIAP is a program established to provide assistance to non-insured indigents by providing discounted rates on their prescription drugs as determined by the Department of Public Health. It was funded by Compact impact money the federal government gives the CNMI every year.

For several years, DPH contracted PHI Pharmacy to provide this service to MIAP clients, who are mostly citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia.

Active members still availing services

PHI Pharmacy vice president and owner Bruce Cohen confirmed yesterday that the company continues to provide discounts to MIAP clients whose cards are active. He estimates that about 100 MIAP clients continue to avail of this service. Those whose cards have expired lose the benefit.

During a board meeting in January, several corporation board members expressed their desire to transfer responsibility over the MIAP program to the Medicaid Office, which is under the Executive Branch.

That has not happened. Medicaid administrator Helen Sablan affirmed yesterday that her office does not handle the MIAP program.

“No, Medicaid is not handling MIAP. MIAP was a DPH program for CHC services. MIAP was never used and was not intended for services from private providers, except to account for the medically indigent at the PHI Pharmacy located at CHC. The Medicaid program, including its administrative costs for running the program, are co-shared by the federal and CNMI governments. We feel it would be improper to put a local and hospital program under a program paid by the federal program, even if it’s co-shared,” she said.

Revival in the works

According to Anthony Raho, director of CHC Pharmacy and a member of the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. board, the program will soon be revived.

“The advisory board has acknowledged this responsibility and made a recommendation to the CEO to re-establish a MIAP program. I am aware that the CEO has instructed the administrative staff to get this re-implemented as soon as possible,” Raho told Saipan Tribune.

Raho asked the public’s patience as the corporation transition programs from the old Department of Public Health to the new corporation. “I believe the corporation’s MIAP program should be up and running very shortly,” he added.

He said Public Law 16-51, or the Commonwealth Healthcare Act, mandates the corporation to establish and administer a subsidy program to provide healthcare to low-income individuals.

Raho said he is not aware of any patients that were under the old MIAP program that have been refused any healthcare services.