NEWS: Don’t take our word for it – listen to the people
July 5, 2018
Hagåtña – Governor Calvo’s bill draws testimony from members of the public who agree that GMH needs funding.
Tonight a public hearing was held for Governor Eddie Calvo’s proposal, Bill 1-9(s), which would prioritize the funding provided by the 2% sales tax to the Guam Memorial Hospital Authority (GMHA) towards the corrective actions needed to come into compliance with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the accreditation with the Joint Commission.
Ken Leon Guerrero, Citizens for Public Accountability, stated, “GMH is a very important part of the health care community. And the GMH needs to be adequately funded, we in the public agree with that.”
This sentiment was echoed by private citizen Sedfrey Linsangan, “GMH is not like GWA or GPA or other autonomous agencies. They have to treat everybody regardless of their ability to pay. It is important that we save GMH. It is very important, because not only does it provide health care but it also provides business to small business owners.”
The Office of Public Accountability recently published its audit on GMHA’s FY 2017 finances, “With uncompensated care provided to those without insurance or the underinsured, and the Medicare reimbursement rate at only 54% of the costs of delivering service care, GMHA is in constant need of government subsidy. While the hospital continues to provide patient care regardless of one’s health insurance coverage or ability to pay, GMHA’s recurring losses and negative operating cash flows raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.”
So far, there seems to be a consensus – the island’s lone public hospital is in desperate need of funding and has been for decades now.

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