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My Fellow Virgin Islanders:
Since the beginning of my term as Governor, I have made healthcare a priority area of focus for my Administration. With the passing of President Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA” or “Health Reform Act”) in 2010 the opportunity now exists for us to take our efforts a step further. We have been provided the tools to reinvent our healthcare delivery system and refocus our energies on meeting the needs of the critically underserved. Almost 30% of the population in the Territory has no insurance coverage. This statistic gravely illustrates the point that there are 33,000 mothers, fathers, young adults, children, who either avoid getting medical attention or must shoulder the financial burden without assistance.
The Health Reform law enacts comprehensive changes to our health care delivery system and the level of insurance coverage we are able to offer our residents. Approximately $305 million dollars will be infused into the Territory over the next eight years to address health care. To ensure the most efficient use of these funds I created the Health Reform Implementation Task Force on June 9th 2010 with the signing of Executive Order 449-2010. Since its inception the Task Force has addressed and continues to focus on critical issues surrounding Medicaid, Medicare, Healthcare Service Expansion, Workforce Development and Information Technology (“IT”) infrastructure development.
Early next year, I will have to make the decision to either move forward with the establishment of a Health Insurance Exchange or apply Federal reform dollars to expand our local Medicaid program. I need your assistance to help me make this major decision that will impact so many lives. The concept of a Health Insurance Exchange (“Exchange”) is very complicated and highly technical but I want to provide you with some background information to assist with your careful consideration of this issue. An Exchange is a marketplace, on the Internet, where individuals and small employers can shop for and buy health insurance coverage. The Exchange will make buying health insurance comparable to shopping on the Internet for airline tickets, hotel rooms and a host of consumer items. Information about each health plan sold on the Exchange will include clear and understandable language about participating providers, the plan’s benefits, premium costs, and co-pay amounts. There will also be information about how satisfied customers are with the health plans, complaints about the plan, and how well the health plan handles payments.
Another option would be for the Virgin Islands to utilize the Federal reform funds to expand our Medicaid Program. Currently our Medicaid rolls fluctuate between 8,500 and 10,000 clients. However, due to the Federal “cap” imposed on territories in terms of Medicaid, the Virgin Islands has very stringent Medicaid eligibility requirements and many individuals/families do not qualify based on the extremely low-income requirement. An infusion of funding would allow a phased-in expansion of services offered and potentially allow for increases in the income requirement.
I need your input as to whether the Virgin Islands should establish its own Exchange and, if so, how it should work for Virgin Islands residents and small businesses. Your opinion and suggestions are integral to the future of the Territory as we work to implement health care reform. A survey is
attached to this email and also available
online here. Comments on the plan may be sent to my office using the contact information below:
By E-Mail to comments@governordejongh.com
Or by mail to:
Office of Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr.
ATTN: Health Reform Survey
21-22 KongensGade
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, VI 00802
We are on a tight time frame and I will make a decision
early next year. Please return by
January 31st.
Sincerely,
John P. de Jongh, Jr.
Governor
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