Medicaid Director meets with US Senate committee on two key issues to Am Samoa

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Medicaid Director, Sandra King Young met last week Thursday, December 14, 2023, with the staff of the US Senate Committee on Finance, to present two key issues for the American Samoa Medicaid program, which can only be addressed through legislative action by the US Senate Finance Committee with final approval by the United States Congress, according to the director. 

King Young explained to the committee staff, the need for Medicaid coverage of American Samoa permanent residents and for American Samoa’s LBJ hospital to be included in the Disproportionate Share Hospital coverage.

The AS Medicaid Director explains that “our Governor Lemanu Mauga’s priority is to get our 20-year AS permanent residents eligible for Medicaid.

“US permanent residents have coverage only after 5-years residence in the US.

“The hard work of opening up our Medicaid State Plan to new services outside of LBJ, inherently requires not only the amending of the state plan, but also recognizing the need to adjust certain federal laws that are barriers to equitable coverage of our residents.

She noted, “I am grateful to have engaging professionals at the US Senate Committee on Finance, who genuinely understand the issues and understand the importance of the Governor’s priority.

“Explaining the issues of coverage of AS permanent residents and DSH payments for the hospital — is critical for the future plans of our Medicaid program.

“Telling our story has been the key to getting increases to our Medicaid cap.

“Now, we have concrete data, after our FY2023 demonstration, to strengthen our case before the Committee,” King Young said.

According to the AS Medicaid office, meetings are planned for the future, to discuss these issues before the US House Committee on Ways and Means.

The Medicaid director points out that “while these issues will be not be resolved immediately, continuing to discuss these issues is an important step in working through the congressional process.” 

Samoa News asked if the meeting went well with the Finance Committee, and King Young responded that she believes it was — that “they understand the issues of American Samoa’s Medicaid program”, and pointed to the work she has done with them (the committee) since 2017. “First on increasing our Medicaid cap and FMAP which was our priority at the time. These are on the plate now.”

BACKGROUND

Medicaid Director, Sandra King Young is not new to working with congressional committees, as she worked with the late US Senator Daniel Inouye on his personal staff and as his Professional Staffer on the US Senate Rules Committee. She also maintains a professional network in Washington DC, including her GW law school colleagues, many who are now partners in major DC law firms.