Pacific reps urge CMS to protect Medicare dialysis funding for the territories

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata, Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (CNMI), and Congressman James Moylan (Guam), are working together in a bipartisan effort to protect critical Medicare funding for dialysis facilities in the Pacific territories.

The Members of Congress sent a joint letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), expressing their serious concerns about proposed changes to the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System that would reduce payments to facilities in American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

The letter, addressed to CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, highlights the unique challenges faced by healthcare providers in these remote territories.

The proposed rule would introduce a new wage index methodology that could lead to a significant decrease in Medicare payments, thereby jeopardizing access to essential dialysis services for some of the most vulnerable communities in the United States.

"We support the intended outcomes of the proposed rule, but it is critical that these goals are achieved without neglecting the remote geographic location and unique economic situation of ESRD facilities in the Pacific territories,” states the letter.

The Representatives are advocating for tailored adjustments to the payment system that would better reflect the higher costs associated with operating healthcare facilities in the Pacific territories.

They have called on CMS to conduct a separate analysis for the Pacific territories and to consider alternative payment methodologies that uphold the principles of justice and health equity.

This joint letter is part of ongoing efforts to ensure that the healthcare needs of residents in the Pacific territories are adequately addressed and that vital services remain accessible.

Click on attachment to download full text of the letter.