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Babauta explores DOI funding for hospital
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Posted on Mar 01 2012
By Moneth Deposa
Reporter
Reporter
Juan N. Babauta, chief executive officer of the cash-strapped Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., is currently off-island not only to participate in a conference but to “touch base” with representatives of the U.S. Department of the Interior and Medicare in a bid to tap more federal resources that will help shore up the struggling Commonwealth Health Center.
Alvaro Santos, the corporation’s chief financial and administrative officer, disclosed this to the Saipan Tribune, adding that he is confident in Babauta’s ability to communicate the dire straits of the hospital to federal officials and representatives.
Babauta flew to San Francisco for a weeklong conference that will be attended by representatives of Region 9, which covers states like Arizona, Hawaii, and the CNMI.
Babauta, Santos said, will take the opportunity to meet with specific federal representatives of Medicare and Interior to explain the situation of the corporation, which badly needs help to survive.
“I know for a fact that some initial discussions have begun with the Interior and the CEO wants to make a follow-up. He will also meet with Medicare people to see if there are additional resources that can be extended to the CNMI,” he said.
Santos said that, although the expected approval of legislation will give the corporation a standby line of credit with the Marianas Public Land Trust, this is not enough to address all the immediate needs of organization.
Santos pointed out that without additional resources and despite a financial management system in place, the agency’s operation and survival will remain critical. The corporation was only allocated $5 million in seed capital for this fiscal year.
