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$970,000 appropriation bill for health services is now with Inos
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Posted on Oct 20 2015
Now under review by the administration of Gov. Eloy S. Inos is a legislative bill to appropriate $970,000 from a “Cancer Fund Special Account” to support programs at the local hospital and the Medical Referral Services, among others.
The Senate recently approved House Bill 19-101, HD1, which notes that local programs need funding for health services “not readily available within the Commonwealth.”
The Cancer Fund Special Account is effectively zeroed out with the appropriation bill. It moves $150,000 to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. for the Division of Public Health Service’s Oral Health Program. It moves $250,000 to the CNMI Medical Referral Services for stipends of patients and escorts on medical referrals outside the CNMI. The stipends are limited to $20 per day for patient and escort.
The bill also moves $20,000 to CHCC for the Interisland Medical Referral Program. It also moves $100,000 to the hospital’s Community Drug Free Rehabilitation Program under the Community Guidance Center.
The bill appropriates $250,000 to the CNMI Medicaid Agency for matching funds for two initiatives: the establishment of a “Medicaid Claims Data Repository” and the creation of “Health Information Technology” and “Health Information Exchange” programs.
A total of $200,000 is also allocated to the Commonwealth Cancer Association.
This bill, among nine in all, is currently under review by the CNMI Attorney General’s Office, Saipan Tribune learned yesterday.
