Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The government is continuing to work on a solution to “enable and streamline the payment of cost shares from repatriation passengers while they are off-island,” according to a media release from the COVID-19 Task Force, dated Feb. 16, 2021.

Apologizing for the inconvenience, the Task Force clarifies some points of confusion in previous media releases about the “$500 subsidized cost share” that was recently announced by Gov. Lemanu Peleti Palepoi Sialega Mauga for the first and second repatriation flights.

The Task Force release states to “please note that the $500 subsidized cost share is only for AS repatriation passengers coming in from the US on the inbound repatriation flight.

“The cost share for outgoing passengers on the Pago to Honolulu flight is not subsidized by the government, thus outgoing passengers must pay the full cost share of $662 for the March 10th flight.”

The media release clarifies that passengers on the Feb. 1st repatriation flight are to make their $500 cost share payment at the local Treasury Revenue Office pursuant to the following steps:

•                An email will be sent to you with a copy of the Medicaid payment form.

•                Print this payment form out and take it to the Revenue office at EOB.

•                The Revenue office will take your payment, sign your payment form and issue you a receipt.

•                Please bring a copy of your receipt and signed payment form to the Medicaid office OR you may email a copy of your receipt and signed payment form to repatriation@medicaid.as.gov. 

•                Medicaid will reconcile receipts with deposits at the Revenue office.

OFF-ISLAND PAYMENT FOR MARCH 10TH FLIGHT

According to the Task Force, for those who are off-island and need to pay the cost share for the March 10 flight, they ask that “you work with your families on island, to make your cost share payment locally on your behalf, until such a time we are able to set up remote payment.

“If you are unable to do this, a promissory note will be issued to you in Honolulu for you to sign stating that you will make your payment post-quarantine in American Samoa. Failure to sign this promissory note could result in you being dropped from the repatriation flight.

MEDICAL REFERRAL PASSENGERS RETURN FARES

Medical referral passengers’ fares are covered by LBJ or Medicaid.

•                LBJ referrals — Patients referred by LBJ will be paid by LBJ. Patients referred prior to March 26, 2020, must contact LBJ’s Off-Island Medical Referral office (633-1222) to request their referral documents be sent to Medicaid.

•                Medicaid referrals — Patients who travelled on the medical charters and were referred by Medicaid will be covered by Medicaid. Please email omr@medicaid.as.gov or repatriation@medicaid.as.gov to alert Medicaid that you are confirmed on the flight.

•                Referral patients must submit via email documentation of completion of their medical treatment or appointments. Failure to provide documentation of completed medical treatments or appointments will forfeit Medicaid coverage of the return flight.

For further assistance or any questions, please call 699-4778 or 699-4779.

REFUNDS FROM HAWAIIAN AIRLINES CAN BE APPLIED TO COST SHARE

Hawaiian Airlines is providing refunds specifically for travelers who were stranded in the U.S. due to the territory’s closed border policy. 

Those with unused tickets only between American Samoa and Hawaii may receive a refund.

Because American Samoa’s borders remain closed, there is a special refund code for Hawaiian Airlines used for passenger refunds for American Samoa residents.  If you are unable to request a refund online, travelers wanting a refund can go to the HA office in Honolulu or in Pago Pago to process their refund requests.

Although voluntary, the government encourages people who are holding HA tickets to request refunds to help apply towards the cost share of the repatriation flights.

For passengers who traveled on K-fares or passes, only HA employees who you received K-fares and passes from may request refunds on your behalf.