Press Releases
PLASKETT MEETS WITH VIRGIN ISLANDS PHYSICIANS AND LOCAL HOSPITAL BOARD ON STATE OF VI HEALTHCARE
Washington, DC,
April 14, 2025
For Immediate Release Contact: Tionee Scotland PRESS RELEASE PLASKETT MEETS WITH VIRGIN ISLANDS PHYSICIANS AND LOCAL HOSPITAL BOARD ON STATE OF VI HEALTHCARE Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Plaskett released the following statement: “Last week, I and my office met with key stakeholders in our healthcare sector. Given the heightened concerns related to our hospitals in the Virgin Islands- including staffing shortages, supply deficits, and operational challenges, meeting with those responsible fr the hospitals was very relevant. On Thursday, we met with the Juan F. Luis Hospital physicians and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Regina Flippin, as well as the Schneider Regional Medical Center physicians and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. George Rosenberg, and on Sunday, I met with the Virgin Islands Government Hospital and Health Facilities Corporation Territorial Board Executive Committee (Corporation). I appreciate the responsiveness of the physician community and the Corporation, and value the respective, collaborative discussions. “We discussed the difficulties that the Virgin Islands hospitals are presently facing, including the problems listed above, and we discussed long term funding gaps which continue to plague our healthcare system. There have been decades-long attempts to change multiple federal programs and funding formulas. During the Biden Administration, I was able, in legislation, to change the percent of Medicaid payment by the federal government from 55% to 83% and raise the Medicaid cap. Medicare payments for the Virgin Islands are calculated using the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 (TEFRA). Under TEFRA, the respective base years are 1982 for the Schneider Regional Medical Center (SRMC) and 1996 for the Governor Juan F. Louis Hospital (JFL). The base year reimbursement system, which relies upon an inflation adjustment, does not accurately capture the expenses of patient care services. I have introduced legislation for healthcare equity in each Congress and included in annual appropriations legislation language to urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to update the payment data and formulas for the hospitals in the Virgin Islands. Additionally, I have met with CMS leadership to urge the use of their administrative scope to assign a new base period, which is more representative of the reasonable and necessary cost of inpatient services. “Additionally, during the calls we discussed Medicare and Medicaid payment systems that allow rural and geographically isolated hospitals an increased reimbursement rate. I have been a longstanding advocate to extend and permit Medicaid and Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments to U.S. territories. We also discussed during the meetings other programs and creative mechanisms to create larger funding for the hospitals, which we will pursue. “We also discussed in our Sunday meeting the Myrah Keating Smith Community Health Center and the Morris De Castro Clinic on St. John and the vital support they provide to the community. I understand that the Request for Proposals for the construction contracts for both centers are now closed, and I am hopeful that they are reconstructed in short order, to ensure that providers and community members on St. John have the necessary infrastructure for their healthcare spaces. “My office is committed to working with everyone in the Virgin Islands healthcare space to ensure that our providers and community have the necessary support to ensure both short- and long-term stability. I am grateful for the commitment and passion of our doctors and healthcare professionals. They have made a lifetime commitment to our community, and I respect their dedication to their patients. I was also happy for the transparency of the hospital Board in discussing their ongoing work to stabilize and create positive change in the hospital. The hospitals provide essential care to everyone in the Virgin Islands, and I will collaborate with the federal and local government to protect our healthcare system.”
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