Hawaii may get
help in helping
Micronesians

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By Rosemarie Bernardo
rbernardo@starbulletin.com

The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee has approved giving $5 million to the U.S. Office of Insular Affairs to offset Hawaii's expenses arising from the compacts of free association with the Federal States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau.

The funds are included in the fiscal 2002 Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, which now goes to the full Senate for a vote.

Susan Chandler, director of the state Department of Human Services, said, "Any help that we can get from the federal government is greatly appreciated."

In 1996 the federal government excluded Micronesians from the state Medicaid and Med-QUEST programs, yet, Chandler said, there are significant health costs to the state for Micronesians in Hawaii who have serious conditions.

Because Micronesians in Hawaii are under a special classification, the state has to fully pay for their medical expenses, said Chandler, who added she would like the law changed to include Micronesians in the medical plans.

In 1999, Gov. Ben Cayetano asked the U.S. Department of Interior for $11.5 million to reimburse the state for the welfare, health care, education and crime costs of about 6,000 Micronesians in Hawaii.