by Jolene Toves

Guam - The Guam Memorial Hospital is aggressively pursuing a per diem increase from Medicare. As it stands GMH receives $1,200 a day per patient, per discharge and are hoping to see that increase to $1,500 a day under the tax and equity fiscal responsibility act. According to hospital administrator Joseph Verga in the past the hospital's efforts have been unsuccessful.

"We are reconstructing all the information that has been missing that CMS claims has been missing to really complete their assessment of whether or not they will recognize our cost increase for a tefra increase in our per diem rates," he said.

Verga says he is cautiously optimistic their efforts will be successful to date all the information has been reconstructed and an application will be put together along with the past cost reports. According to Verga this information will more than justify the request for increase. He anticipates a response by July.