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FUND OPTIMISTIC Legislature will bail out GHLIP
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Posted on Jan 11 2001
Northern Mariana Islands Retirement Fund Board Chair Vicente Camacho yesterday said he is still optimistic that the Legislature will be able to bail out the Government’s Health Insurance program of its more than $3 million debt.
Mr. Camacho said he will meet with the House Committee on Health and Welfare to reiterate the financial assistance that they need to settle the debt with Honolulu-based Straub Clinic & Hospital and Queens Medical Center.
The two health providers have been seeking payment from the NMIRF which handles the health insurance since last year. However, cash-strapped GHLI has not been able to settle its debt.
“It is still our priority to settle the debt so we will meet with the House Committee to finally resolve this,” said Mr. Camacho.
Rep. Malua Peter, chair of the House Committee on Health and Welfare, said she will ask the members of the Health Commission to make their recommendations on how to settle the problem.
The NMIRF Board has already approved in principle the hiring of Hawaii Management Alliance Association (HMAA) to provide review utilization service for the government health insurance.
Mr. Camacho said the hiring of HMAA will result in $1 million savings to the health insurance since it will get at least 20 to 50 percent discount for the members, depending on which hospital they will be referred by the health provider.
At the same time, the company has in-house doctors who will help analyze the billing and a pharmaceutical benefits manager who keeps track on whether the charges for medicine are too high.
The NMIRF Board has noted the urgency of settling the debt with the two health providers in Hawaii as members of the government health insurance could not seek medical treatment from these two hospitals unless the financial obligations are met. (LFR)
