Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata’s District Office staff, led by her District Director, Dr. Uta Laloulu Tagoilelagi, met earlier this month with officials from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), to discuss Medicaid services, travel, needs and priorities.

“In recent years, in Congress, we have increased our highest possible availability of Medicaid federal dollars for American Samoa by about ten times the amount it was 12 years ago, and boosted our FMAP from 55 to 83 percent, the highest rate in the nation,” Congresswoman Amata said. “While Congress has improved the big picture, I’m always concerned that the results reach the people who need it most. I appreciate the ongoing work of CMS and ASG to strengthen services and care for our people, but health care challenges here are a constant priority due to our geography and population size,” she continued.

“Thank you to CMS for sending officials to our islands, their willingness to discuss services, and I ask them to continue to look for any and all support they can facilitate for our people. They had a productive discussion in my office, as well as their meeting with ASG officials and Governor Pulaali’i.”

Congressional Medicaid Improvements for American Samoa

    •    Historic reform: Congress passed major bipartisan Medicaid reforms and improvements for American Samoa in 2019, with the support of Congresswoman Amata and other territory representatives.
    •    Ten-fold Increase: This sweeping change went into effect in 2020 and greatly expanded American Samoa’s total available federal funds under the ceiling from $12 million in fiscal year 2019 to over $80 million the very next year, plus yearly increases since indexed to medical inflation rates, currently estimated at $88-90 million – approximately an increase by ten times the amount since fy2015.
    •    83% Match: Under that bipartisan legislation, Congress raised American Samoa’s standard Medicaid federal match (FMAP) to 83 percent under federal statute, up from just 55 percent where it had been for many years.
    •    Long-term Change: Then in 2022, Congress followed up with another major improvement (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023), again with the bipartisan support of Amata and all the territory’s representatives, making American Samoa’s standard 83 percent FMAP rate permanent, no longer at risk of reverting back to 55 percent. This breakthrough means it no longer must be passed over again every few years.
    •    Nation’s Best Rate: American Samoa’s standard federal match (FMAP) is now secure and the highest in the nation – at a better rate than any of the 50 states. The only time the rate can be higher is under a major disaster scenario such as after Storm Gita or during Covid’s peak.
    •    Next effort: Finally, in ongoing work, Amata is an original cosponsor of the bipartisan Medicaid Improvement for Insular Areas Act, H.R. 3154, working together as territories toward removing the Medicaid ceiling entirely, a forward-thinking goal so that American Samoa’s ceiling could never become a future problem. American Samoa’s Medicaid program began in 1983 under a federal funding cap that does not apply to states in the same way, so it is also a matter of principle, to bring about parity with the states on this remaining reform.