Pacific Magazine > Daily News

Two Japan Hospitals Ink Deal With Saipan

Saturday: August 02, 2008

(Saipan Tribune)

Two Japanese hospitals have signed an accord with the Northern Marianas Commonwealth government, which will allow them to accept patients from the islands, the Saipan Tribune reports.

Nagoya City University Hospital and Aichi Children's Health and Medical Center have signed a one-year agreement with the Commonwealth Health Center to provide medical services for Northern Marianas patients.

Commonwealth Public Health Secretary Kevin Villagomez says it will be quicker for Northern Marianas residents to reach either hospital, which are both located in the Nagoya region. There are daily flights between Saipan and Nagoya.

The closest major U.S. hospital for Northern Marianas residents would be in Hawaii, an eight to nine hour trip including a stopover on Guam. Northern Marianas residents used to have the option of flying directly to Manila, but now must go through Guam.

Villagomez said the only major problem with the new arrangement is that Japanese hospitals don’t accept the insurance programs offered by the commonwealth government. He said the commonwealth would have to make timely payments to the Nagoya medical centers.

http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=82171&cat=1