Governor Camacho works with fellow territorial governors to adopt language to further Medicaid funding for the territories
January 12, 2009
Governor Felix P. Camacho sent a joint letter with Governor of Puerto Rico Luis Fortuño and U.S Virgin Islands Governor John P. deJongh, Jr. to
Speaker of the U.S. House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Majority Leader of the
U.S. Senate Harry Reid (D-NV), and
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel asking to support provisions of the House version relating to Medicaid funding for the Territories.
Governor Camacho wrote, “As you and other Senate leaders work with House leaders to reconcile the House and Senate bills in the coming weeks, on behalf of the people of the Guam, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, we respectfully request your support for the principle that “all Americans,” include the 4.4 million U.S citizens residing in the U.S Territories.”
The letter prompts our Nation’s leaders to consider the House version related to Medicaid funding for the territories and the eligibility of its citizens to participate in the health insurance exchange(s).
“While together these provisions still do not guarantee equal treatment with the States, they will provide an important pathway to parity in the long-term, as well as essential funding for immediately needed improvements in our underfunded health care systems,” Governor Camacho wrote.
The House measure calls for $10.35 billon over nine years to expand the heavily restricted Medicaid programs in the territories. The bill also includes $4 billion for the Territories to assist the uninsured earning above the low insular Medicaid income thresholds. The House version contains provisions for Virgin Islanders, as well as for residents of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico
