If American Samoa was using individual enrollment for Medicaid rather than presumptive enrollment, the local match for the $84 million in Medicaid funding that Congress approved last year for American Samoa would be $17 million rather than $30 million.
American Samoa is the only part of the United States that is not using individual enrollment.
Director of Medicaid Sandra King Young said at a recent House hearing that when American Samoa’s Medicaid program was set up in 1982 it was using presumptive enrollment.
At the time 88 percent of the population was born here and the LBJ Hospital was he only health care provider.
Today American Samoa-born has dropped to 46% while 54% were born outside of the territory.
In addition Medicaid patients can now be taken off island for treatment and there are independent contractors providing medical equipment and other services that Medicaid pays for.
Only US citizens and US nationals can qualify for Medicaid.
King Young said she understands the reluctance of LBJ Hospital to transition to individual enrollment because it will leave them without a way to cover health care costs for non-US citizens and nationals that use hospital services.
The Medicaid Director suggested that its time for the territory to move towards individual enrollment. She said a decision needs to be made on this question so that the territory can take advantage of the increased funding that Congress has made available for the Medicaid Program.
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