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Admin works on Medicaid payment plan with clinics
The Fitial administration is working on a payment plan to be presented to private clinics that have temporarily stopped honoring Medicaid because of the government’s nonpayment of reimbursement, Lt. Gov. Eloy S. Inos said yesterday.
“It’s a work in progress. They’re still reviewing the accounts right now,” Inos said.
He said the administration is looking at paying a few thousand dollars, and pay the rest when cash becomes available.
“The government will do something to see that we can extend the benefits of the Medicaid and Medicare services. Medicare is not a problem,” he said.
Or the government could prioritize paying for certain medications; for example, heart medicine and those for hypertension, he said.
Inos said $12 million in additional projected revenue for fiscal year 2013 will pump more money to Medicaid, but again, that is for the next fiscal year and not for this year.
“We don’t have the resources for the current fiscal year. So we have to budget it in the next fiscal year and because of this forecast, then we can sit down and work with those folks on a reasonable payment plan,” he said.
For his part, Rep. Ray Yumul (R-Saipan) said he would suggest to the House Health and Welfare Committee to conduct an oversight hearing on the Medicaid program.
“We need to get to the bottom of this. Thousands of lives are at stake if they can’t get access to medicine because clinics stopped honoring Medicaid. But I can only suggest,” he said.
PHI Pharmacy, Marianas Medical Center, Saipan Health Clinic, and other private clinics have stopped honoring Medicaid. But everyone is still welcome to avail of these clinics’ products and services provided they pay the full amount starting this week.
