A brand new KFF evaluation examines how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting U.S. territories in addition to points associated to the upcoming expiration of short-term Medicaid funding for the territories on the finish of September.
Previous to the pandemic, the usterritories –– American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) — confronted an array of longstanding fiscal and well being challenges that have been exacerbated by hurricanes lately. These challenges have been additional exacerbated by the pandemic. As of Could 1, each territory, besides Puerto Rico and USVI, has totally vaccinated greater than 30 % of the eligible inhabitants. American Samoa is the one U.S. territory to haven’t any circumstances or deaths to this point.
Variations within the construction of Medicaid financing, together with a cap that limits federal spending, have contributed to broader fiscal and well being programs challenges for the territories. Whereas further federal funds have been offered over the statutory caps, these funds are set to run out on the finish of September 2021. That may end result within the lack of over 80 % of the territories’ Medicaid funding and will lead to reductions in protection, providers, and supplier charges, even because the territories take care of the long-term well being and financial penalties of the pandemic.
For the total evaluation, in addition to different information and research concerning the fiscal and well being challenges of the territories, go to kff.org