Rodriguez: bill helps guide negotiating team

by Jolene Toves

Guam - A public hearing is set for this week on legislation that would adopt the Government of Guam health insurance negotiating team's official rules of procedure.

Committee on Health chair Senator Dennis Rodriguez Jr. says Bill 160 was introduced following the Department of Administration's submission of its proposed rules earlier this month. He says while he had hoped they would have transmitted it earlier on, he says it will serve as a guide for the negotiating team to move forward. "And so I know this was an issue that was brought up in the last go around, it was subject of protest, so I know that even though they're only working on these interim rules of procedure, the body, the negotiating team, is working very hard to ensure that guidelines are followed and they're very careful in moving forward this time," he said.

As the oversight chair, Rodriguez is a non-voting member of the negotiating team. He says while he can't discuss details of the meetings, he says the team continues to meet and hopes to have a contract in place prior to the start of the new fiscal year. The public hearing on Bill 160 meanwhile is set for Thursday at 1pm.