Guam - The Legislature's Committee chairman on Health, Senator Dennis Rodriguez, Jr., believes the Guam Memorial Hospital's board of trustees' decision to terminate its direct payer agreement with TakeCare Insurance was a bit harsh. "And I call it an extreme action as well," he explained, "because we hope these sorts of actions are taken for cause of non-payment and our understanding is that there are some payments being made, but there are some questions on the denials.

"I for one support the hospital really cracking down on insurance companies who have the habit of denying some billings from the hospital."

Senator Rodriguez outlined his concerns in a letter to GMH. The hospital issued the termination notice because of a "pattern of coverage denial that the hospital is uncomfortable with".