Multisector group backs 2 measures that seek health parity for territories

U.S. Delegate James Moylan (R-Guam)

By THE STAR STAFF

A multisector task force created by Gov. Jenniffer González Colón has endorsed two federal legislative measures aimed at advancing health funding equality for Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories.

The first measure, House Resolution (HR) 6031, was introduced by Resident Commissioner Juan Pablo Hernández Rivera and had previously been filed by González Colón during her tenure in Congress. Known as the Medicare Advantage Integrity Act of 2025, the bill seeks to implement temporary geographic adjustments to certain Medicare Advantage payment formulas, reduce disparities in provider reimbursements, and ensure that a portion of payment increases is dedicated to covering patients’ basic benefits. According to proponents, the legislation could directly benefit more than 670,000 Medicare Advantage enrollees on the island.

The second proposal, HR 256, known as the SAVE Act, was introduced by delegate James Moylan (R-Guam) with Hernández Rivera as a co‑author. The measure forms part of a broader congressional effort to secure equitable treatment for all U.S. territories in federal health programs. Support for the bill has come from a coalition of stakeholders seeking long‑term stability in funding structures for Medicaid and Medicare across the territories.

Both measures were endorsed during the inaugural meeting of the Multisector Working Group established under Executive Order 2026‑006. The group’s mission is to address long‑standing inequities in Puerto Rico’s federal health funding and to safeguard continued coverage for the more than 1.3 million island residents enrolled in the government’s Vital health plan.

Participants in the meeting included representatives from the public and private sectors as well as nonprofit organizations linked to the health system. Among those in attendance were Hernández Rivera, La Fortaleza Chief of Staff and Fiscal Agency & Financial Advisory Authority Executive Director Francisco Domenech, Puerto Rico Health Secretary Víctor Ramos Otero, Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration Executive Director Gabriella Boffelli, and Health Insurance Administration Executive Director Carlos Santiago, who also heads the Medicaid program on the island.

Health sector leaders emphasized the need for a unified approach and coordinated strategy as federal deadlines draw near. Ricardo Hernández Rivera, CEO of the Menonita Health System, noted that the greatest challenge lies in gathering sufficient data, but underscored that clear strategic alignment could lead to tangible results.

Other participants highlighted the real‑world impact of federal health programs on patients. María Cristi of the American Cancer Society noted that most cancer patients in Puerto Rico rely exclusively on the Vital plan, with more than 140,000 individuals having received treatment thanks to its coverage.

The discussion unfolds at a critical moment for Puerto Rico, as the island’s enhanced Medicaid funding remains guaranteed only through fiscal year 2027. Current federal law sets annual caps of $3.4 billion for fiscal year (FY) 2025, $3.6 billion for FY 2026 and $3.8 billion for FY 2027. Without permanent legislative action before those provisions expire, Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico could plummet to pre‑pandemic levels, estimated at roughly $400 million annually.