Stacey Plaskett said "In 2017, due to natural disaster and lack of electricity, 200 dialysis patients were forced to evacuate the Virgin Islands. Some never returned; some are still hoping to; and some who did may once again have to leave. Patients on St. Croix are still receiving treatment in a mobile unit that faces an uncertain future. FEMA has slow-walked the release of funding and guidelines that will allow our hospital to build a permanent and comfortable facility on the island for lifesaving dialysis treatment. The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, CMS, has refused to recertify the temporary mobile unit, instead giving the unit month-to- month extensions, citing that, by now, there should have been a more permanent structure. Stuck between FEMA's slow-walk and CMS' decision are people, people who need stability and empathy. If these Americans are forced to make the hard decision as to whether to leave home again, these Federal agencies would have failed them. At least 15 of the dialysis patients who were forced to leave the first time are no longer with us. They passed away before they were able to come home. This National Kidney Month, let's work to ensure that this doesn't happen again. ___________________

On the recordMarch 3, 2020

In 2017, due to natural disaster and lack of electricity, 200 dialysis patients were forced to evacuate the Virgin Islands. Some never returned; some are still hoping to; and some who did may once again have to leave. Patients on St. Croix are still receiving treatment in a mobile unit that faces an uncertain future. FEMA has slow-walked the release of funding and guidelines that will allow our hospital to build a permanent and comfortable facility on the island for lifesaving dialysis treatment. The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, CMS, has refused to recertify the temporary mobile unit, instead giving the unit month-to- month extensions, citing that, by now, there should have been a more permanent structure. Stuck between FEMA's slow-walk and CMS' decision are people, people who need stability and empathy. If these Americans are forced to make the hard decision as to whether to leave home again, these Federal agencies would have failed them. At least 15 of the dialysis patients who were forced to leave the first time are no longer with us. They passed away before they were able to come home. This National Kidney Month, let's work to ensure that this doesn't happen again. ____________________

Said by

Stacey Plaskett

Democratic · Virgin Islands

Source

govinfo.gov

Mar 3, 2020