Moylan, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Oz Address Health Care Access for Guam
(Washington, D.C.) — Congressman Moylan met with Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), to discuss health care affordability, federal reimbursement, and access to quality care for Guam.
During their discussion, Dr. Oz emphasized the challenges communities face when health care resources and services are limited.
“What you earn shouldn’t determine the health care that you access or whether your hospital has the resources to treat you,” Dr. Oz said. “But for too many communities, getting care has meant strained clinics, limited services, or care that’s out of reach altogether.”
During the discussion, Moylan pointed to stronger Medicare funding for Guam as an important step toward addressing those challenges.
“We’re working to change that for the people in Guam. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we secured stronger Medicare funding for our territory, giving our medical centers more resources to serve our people,” Moylan said.
“You know what that means? It means more reliable care closer to home, investment in the equipment and staff our islands need, and a health care system built to last,” Dr. Oz said.
For Guam, federal reimbursement remains critical to sustaining health care services. Guam Memorial Hospital receives reimbursement through both Medicare and Medicaid, and Moylan has sought congressional support for examining the hospital’s federal reimbursement structure. His efforts have included a request to update Guam Memorial Hospital’s Medicare payment rates under the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act.
The House Appropriations Committee has also raised concerns regarding the Medicare payment methodology used for Guam Memorial Hospital and urged CMS to examine the feasibility of updating the hospital’s payment rates.
Beyond reimbursement, Moylan and Dr. Oz also discussed health care affordability, including the difficulty some patients face when they cannot afford medications prescribed by their doctors.
“For families across our island, this is about more than dollars and cents,” Moylan said. “It’s about making sure people get the care they need without fear of a system that can’t support them.”
Strengthening federal reimbursement and access to care can help keep more resources on Guam and allow more residents to receive treatment closer to home.
Moylan said his office will continue working with CMS and the Administration to strengthen federal reimbursement and expand access to affordable, quality health care for Guam.
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