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Kilili: Our goal remains full inclusion in Obamacare
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) issued the following statement Saturday in response to the announcement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that certain provisions of the Affordable Care Act would no longer be interpreted to apply to the Northern Mariana Islands and other U.S. territories.
“I continue to believe that it is in the best interest of the people of the Northern Marianas to be able to receive federally subsidized health insurance that covers the full range of benefits and is available to everyone no matter what their current or previous medical condition. We deserve the same access to quality, affordable health care as all other Americans.
“I understand that territorial governments have asked for relief from provisions of the Affordable Care Act and that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have responded by reversing a previous decision that guaranteed availability, the essential health benefits standards for insurance coverage, and certain other requirements of the Act apply to territories.
“I, too, asked for some transitional relief up to 2016 so that health insurance in the Northern Marianas did not become unavailable and to help control premium costs. But my request was for a much more focused and temporary hold on the application of the Affordable Care Act than has now been announced.
“I am currently reviewing what this rollback means for the people I represent. I certainly hope that insurance companies that serve the Marianas will not use this decision as a way to reverse improvements in insurance coverage they have already begun to offer, including allowing children up to age 26 to remain on their family policies and adhering to the requirement that insurers spend at least 80 percent of the money they take in providing their customers with health care.
“People in the Northern Marianas—all Americans—should have access to quality, affordable health care. That is and continues to be my goal.” (PR)
