Amata Announces Congressional Medicaid Hearing for Insular Areas

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- Del. Amata Radewagen, R-American Samoa, issued the following news release:

Congresswoman Aumua Amata announced that the full Committee on Natural Resources will be holding an upcoming oversight hearing on the topic of the Insular Areas Medicaid Cliff.

"This is an important and timely topic for American Samoa," said Aumua Amata. "I appreciate the leadership of the Natural Resources Committee devoting this hearing to our insular areas and Medicaid, including my friend, Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, who serves as Vice Chairman for Insular Affairs."

The Committee has extended invitations to a Medicaid issue witness panel from the insular areas, including Sandra King Young, American Samoa's Medicaid Director. The hearing is scheduled for Thursday, May 23.

American Samoa was allotted over $197 Million in additional Medicaid dollars from the ACA beginning in July 2011 - over $100 Million has been unused and is to expire at the end of the fiscal year. These funds directly support the LBJ hospital, supplement grants that fund our new community health clinics, and have allowed for an expansion in services such as the popular off-island Medicaid referral program. This Medicaid hearing will examine ways forward to improve on the program, and continue ensuring that all American Samoans can access this much-needed healthcare.