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News from the US Virgin Islands as of
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USVI needs in play as health care debate in Congress continues
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| Published on Tuesday, September 22, 2009 | Email To Friend Print Version
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WASHINGTON, USA -- Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen said on Monday that the health care needs of the US territories, and of most concern to her, the needs of the US Virgin Islands are definitely a part of the health care debate currently going on in the Congress.
Christensen, who is the first and only territorial representative to sit on the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, said today that all three of the major health care reform bills making their way through the Congress, address particular issues that concern the territories.
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| USVI Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen |
Currently there are three health care reform bills, HR 3200, commonly referred to as the TRIComm bill, passed the Energy and Commerce Committee before the August recess. It reflects the health care reform efforts in the House. The other two, one from the Senate HELP Committee and the other is from the Senate Finance Committee and is known as the Baucus bill. Together they reflect the U.S. Senate’s health care reform efforts, Congresswoman Christensen explained.
“There are differences in the way that each deals with the territories, but there is commonality in all three approaches,” she said. “In the House bill, the territories will receive a $10.35 billion increase in Medicaid funding.
“I worked closely with the other delegates to craft a plan to disperse these additional Medicaid funds and move us towards parity and equity with the states,” she said. “In the Senate, provisions to the FMAP for the territories has been increased and will be applied outside the cap up to 133% of the federal poverty level, allowing Medicaid programs in the US territories to capture a significant number of currently uninsured residents by making them newly eligible.”
Christensen said that in addition, Senator Charles Schumer has agreed to introduce an amendment to include the territories in the public exchange. “The Schumer amendment would make residents of the US territories eligible for the insurance exchanges on an equal basis with their fellow Americans in the states,” she said. “All aspects of the insurance provisions will apply, that includes the insurance and consumer reforms, the requirement for all individuals to obtain coverage, and the affordability provisions.”
Christensen said that both House and Senate bills include the US Territories in increased funding to bolster community-based health and wellness efforts, expand health workforce training and diversity, improve Medicare, expand access to care for those who are currently left out, and improve data collection efforts to address specific emerging health and health care needs.
“There are still daily ongoing negotiations as the legislation develops,” Christensen said. “The House has yet to pass a proposal and neither has the Senate,” she said. “Any differences between the two will still have to be resolved in conference before there is a proposal that can be sent to the President.” | | | | Reads : 641 | | | |
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