House eyes additional funding for GHLIP

The Legislature is looking into a possible appropriation of supplemental budget to help the Group Health Life Insurance Program settle its more than $4 million outstanding debts to hundreds of on- and off-island health providers.

According to Committee on Health and Welfare chair Maria Peter, the Legislature is bent at exerting all efforts to provide GHLIP with financial support to end its funding woes with over 295 health providers.

Ms. Peter disclosed that plans are now being laid out to assist GHLI rise from its financial setbacks; the same reason why the health and welfare committee recently asked Program Manager Dolores Moore to provide the Legislature a complete financial report since 1996.

In a letter to Ms. Moore, the legislator allayed fears of program officials and revealed concrete plans on how to help the government-operated insurance agency.

“My office is willing to address the financial dilemma of the GHLIP, we need you to provide the data to determine how, when and why shortfalls occurs so that supplemental appropriation will be justified,” the legislator said.

She explained that unless complete financial report of the program is provided to the Legislature, the issue of shortfalls and deficits will continue to be dealt with on a subjective basis.

“Providing the data requested would be the first step needed in the process for the legislature to determine how best it can assist your office,” the committee chair added.

Of the requested financial report, Ms. Peters concentrated on the outstanding bills, payments made, and premiums collected by year from June 1996.

These will include payments, billings and premiums of Commonwealth Health Center, Medical Referral, Non-Medical Referral (Off-Island), and On-island Providers.

GHLI branch was also asked to provide the Legislature the number of retirees prior to June 1996, their contributions, the number of subscribers and other pertinent records.

Ms. Peter asked Ms. Moore to note the number of withdrawals made from the program by year or average number of withdrawals each year from the program.

Earlier, Ms. Moore asked the lower house to come to the aid of the program especially on the continued increase of debts to off and on-island health service providers.

The GHLIP even asked the legislature if there is a possibility of putting the program under the purview of the Office of the Governor to help it surpass its financial problems. (EGA)