Hospital staff’s delayed housing perks out next week

Employees of the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. can now heave a sigh a relief after the corporation’s chief executive officer Juan N. Babauta disclosed yesterday that their four-month delayed housing allowance could be released as early as Monday next week.

Babauta told the Saipan Tribune that housing perks and the next payroll of the corporation’s some 600 employees top the priority list of the line of credit it is expected to receive from the Marianas Public Land Trust.

MPLT and the corporation are set to sign today the collateral agreement for $4.58 million loan approved by the trustees Monday. The amount is inclusive of the $1.58 million to be used for the hospital’s electronic health record project which will entitle the corporation for federal reimbursement.

Babauta attended a series of meetings yesterday to finalize the details of the agreement with corporation board members and management team to ensure everything is prepared and completed.

He said the $3 million-of the $4.58 million loan from MPLT-is not enough to cover all the immediate expenses of the corporation. However, he is thankful that some concerns of the employees will be addressed.

“We are going to pay all those delays [for the housing allowance] and we’re hoping it will happen this weekend. So maybe Monday or Tuesday, it will be issued out,” Babauta told Saipan Tribune, adding that most affected employees on the delayed housing perks are hospital nurses on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

The housing allowance is provided to healthcare providers who were hired outside the Commonwealth. Single employees receive $600 monthly while $800 is provided for those with families. The delay covers December 2011 through March this year.

CHC nursing director Leticia Reyes was elated after learning the promised release early next week of the housing perks.

Reyes said CHC has 167 nurses as of yesterday and of the number more than half receive housing allowance. These nurses include LPNs, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and nursing assistants.

Babauta also commended yesterday CHC’s nurses-mostly from off-island-for their perseverance and patience. At the Rota Health Center, the CEO revealed that nurses have experienced delays in their salaries for some pay periods.

Saipan Tribune learned that there are five nurses on the Rota center who were absorbed by the corporation from the Saipan Employment Agency and Services.

The CEO added that some portions of the $3 million will also be utilized in paying “a little bit” of the corporation’s unpaid obligations to vendors.

To ensure no delay in the personnel payroll next week, Babauta said a significant portion will also be allocated for the purpose.