April 2, 2007 — Delegate Donna M. Christensen spoke about her efforts to lift the federal cap on Medicaid payments to the territory at a health fair Monday morning in the new amphitheater at Sunny Isle Shopping Center.
Christensen outlined what progress had been made to date. The health fair was part of the Department of Health’s efforts to commemorate National Public Health Week, April 2 – 8.
"In every one of the last four Congresses, I proposed legislation to eliminate the Medicaid cap," Christensen said.
Federal Medicaid funding for medical care for the poor is granted as a lump sum and the territory matches it, paying 50 percent. In the States, Medicaid operates as an entitlement, with funding based on both population and ability to pay. The territory’s share is set at 50 percent. On the mainland, the share is determined on a sliding scale depending on local incomes.
"Here, because we have a cap, services are limited, money is limited and so their ability at Health to maintain quality of care is a big challenge," Christensen said. "Another big difference between how we are treated and how a state is treated: In other places you can choose your own doctor, while here, by law, only the Department of Health may take Medicaid patients. That is to ensure a stable base of funding for the department."
Increasing the annual lump-sum allotment has helped, Christensen said, but it is only part of the answer. "We’ve nearly tripled our allotment since 1997, from $3.8 million to over 10 million in 2006," she said. "But if we were not capped, we would probably receive about $25 to $30 million."
As she spoke, Christensen referred to some informational posters prominently displayed on a table behind her, showing the income cutoff levels for Medicaid in the territory. Christensen let the income levels speak for themselves.
"To qualify for Medicaid, an individual Virgin Islander must earn less than $5,500 a year and have no more than $1,500 in assets," she said. "A family of four must have less than $8,500 in income and $1,800 in assets."
Christensen lent her St. Croix office at Sunny Isle to Health for free and confidential HIV testing. Several individuals had already taken advantage of the free testing at the time Christensen spoke.
Aside from the Medicaid information, tables at the health fair had information on drug addiction and treatment programs, HIV and sexually transmitted diseases and the Head Start child-development program. One table focused on the risks of a worldwide flu pandemic, with workers handing out a new 30-page U.S. Department of Health and Human Services flu-pandemic and disaster-preparedness handbook. The booklet serves a reference for any disruptive disaster, such as a hurricane or earthquake, as well as a flu pandemic.
Public Health Week events are scheduled for Monday through Wednesday. A health fair will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday at Emancipation Gardens on St. Thomas. On St. Croix, the Charles Harwood Complex will hold an open house, with exhibits from its chronic disease, public-health preparedness and sexually transmitted disease programs. The Elaine Company building on St. Thomas will host a maternity-care open house, while St. John’s Morris F. DeCastro Clinic will offer free flu vaccinations for children.
All three islands are having an employee walkathon and fun day on Wednesday. Walkers on St. Croix will go from Fort Frederik to the Frederiksted Pool; on St. John from the Morris DeCastro Clinic to Hawk’s Nest Bay; and on St. Thomas from Emancipation Garden to John Brower’s Bay. Each walkathon begins at 8 a.m.
All the events are scheduled for Monday through Wednesday because this year Health Week falls on Holy Week. Everything was scheduled before Holy Thursday because many offices will be closed and many residents busy with Easter Weekend activities, officials said.
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