Representatives from the state of Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia attended the symposium looking for more knowledge.
Karita K. Marcus executive director for the Chuuk State Health Plan told the Journal “We have some hospitals in the Philippines that serve the people of Chuuk — for referrals we send them to the Philippines. It [the symposium] is interesting to me because I want to expand our relationships with the hospitals in the Philippines. We only have three hospitals that we are accredited with.” Marcus said Chuuk has relationships in the Philippines with The Kidney Institute Capitol Medical Center and Cardinal Santos Hospital. “Most of the service done in Chuuk is outpatient care not like the services we’ve seen here. That’s why I think it’s important for us to gather the information about these hospitals and share it with the hospital in Chuuk ” she said.
Chuuk’s constitution mandates a health-insurance plan for everyone who works in Chuuk. Marcus said “The employee is supposed to pay half and the employer is supposed to pay half. The percentage is 2.5% of your gross wages. That is the amount of the premium that should be deducted from each employee and 2.5% should be matched by the employer. The total of 5% should be paid into the insurance.” According to Marcus there are more than 2 000 members in the government and there are about 1 900 members in the private sector. “That’s only employees but we also cover their dependents with the premium that they pay ” Marcus said. She said the insurance program covers up to five dependents. MBJ
