Territorial Governors Urge White House Support for Health Care Equity

Territorial Governors Urge White House Support for Health Care Equity

Guam - Governor Felix P. Camacho, along with other territory governors, sent a joint letter this week urging the White House to ensure that the territories receive equitable treatment under the health care reform legislation currently before the U.S. Senate.

The letter was signed by Gov. Camacho, Gov. John P. de Jongh Jr. of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Gov. Benigno R. Fitial of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands.

In the letter to Rahm Emanuel, White House chief of staff, the three governors requested that the final version of the health care reform bill include provisions to ensure that individuals from territories be eligible to participate in the new health insurance exchange and for the enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP) that will be available to the 50 states.

“We are asking that the final version of the health care reform bill ensures residents of the territories have the same access to health care as those on the mainland,” said Gov. Camacho. “I sincerely hope that the White House understands our people’s need to receive quality health services and acts accordingly.”

The letter states that the White House is working to merge and finalize two separate health care bills from the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.


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