The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu becomes the third hospital in Honolulu to accept patients that are referred for treatment under the Medicaid Off-island Referral Program.
The American Samoa Medicaid State Agency signed a contract with Queen’s Hospital on August 26. An announcement from the Medicaid Office says this is a major step forward in expanding care options for beneficiaries who require specialized medical services not available on the island. With Queen’s enrolled, Medicaid beneficiaries will now have greater access to high-quality, timely care across a range of critical specialties.
Medicaid Director Louise Kuaea said, “Securing Queen’s as a provider is a key accomplishment for our program and for our people. It expands our referral network and ensures that our residents have a clear pathway to world-class medical treatment when it’s needed most.”
In May, the Medicaid State Agency signed an agreement with Straub, whereby Straub accepts Medicaid patients from American Samoa with prior authorization for off-island care. A press release from the Medicaid agency at the time said the initial phase of the agreement prioritizes Medicaid beneficiaries, including those with dual Medicaid eligibility. After the first year, the agency will evaluate the partnership and consider expanding referral options.
The other hospital in Honolulu that accepts Medicaid referrals from American Samoa is Adventists Health Castle Hospital. An agreement with Adventists has been in place since June of 2023.
As readers may recall, Honolulu hospitals had stopped accepting referrals from American Samoa because of millions of dollars in unpaid bills.
