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News from the US Virgin Islands as of
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Progress made on inclusion of USVI in health care reform, says delegate
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| Published on Thursday, October 22, 2009 | Email To Friend Print Version
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WASHINGTON, USA -- Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen said on Wednesday that significant progress has been made to include the US Virgin Islands in the exchange as part of the health care reform package that is expected to come to the floor of the US House of Representatives for a vote.
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| USVI Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen |
The exchange would provide a choice of health insurance plans from which individuals and families can choose to purchase health insurance coverage. It would also include subsidies to help low income individuals and families obtain insurance and a public option, or a government sponsored plan as well.
“Inclusion in the exchange will ensure that territorial residents have a wide range of insurance options, to include the public option,” Christensen said on Wednesday.
“This is in addition to the $10.35 billion in Medicaid funding over the next nine years,” she said. “This would be great news for the Virgin Islands, because it would represent a significant increase in public health care funding as well as greater opportunity for our residents who can afford to purchase coverage to have the same choices that people residing on the mainland will have.”
The Senate HELP bill also puts the territories in the exchange, but the Senate Finance Committee measure does not. “We are confident in the progress that we have made so far, since what is being proposed is within the expenditure limits set by the White House,” Christensen concluded. | | | | Reads : 402 | | | |
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