On the recordJuly 12, 2019
Good news for the Northern Mariana Islands and all the insular areas: The Territories Health Care Improvement Act was introduced on Tuesday, addressing the Medicaid cliff our areas face when special ObamaCare funding ends this year. Thursday, the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee reported the bill without dissent. ``Let's keep it moving,'' Chair Eshoo said. I believe full committee Chairman Pallone intends to do so as well. I thank them both and Ranking Members Burgess and Walden for understanding the urgency of the Medicaid crisis in the insular areas. I also thank Mr. Soto and Mr. Bilirakis, who led the bill along with myself and seven bipartisan cosponsors. It provides exactly what the Northern Mariana Islands Medicaid director testified she needed: $60 million per year. No local match is required as we recover from last year's typhoons. After 6 years, we will get the FMAP any State is offered. There are new program integrity requirements that I support because every Federal dollar should go to those intended, without fraud or waste. So, healthcare in the insular areas can be as good as healthcare anywhere in America. That is good news. ____________________
