Ahead of an oversight hearing this week with the Guam Memorial Hospital Authority, health oversight chair Senator Sabrina Salas Matanane, Congressman James Moylan and hospital officials met over the weekend to discuss some of the challenges the island's only public hospital is facing.

Over the weekend, the senator sat down with GMH officials at the invitation of Delegate Moylan. The meeting, requested by GMH administrator and CEO Lillian Perez-Posadas, came just days before lawmakers are set to scrutinize the island’s only public hospital in a highly anticipated oversight hearing. 

According to Salas Matanane, one of the biggest concerns is GMH’s upcoming budget presentation on March 31. "About the budget. That GMH has to present on the 31st of this month," she detailed. But beyond the budget, she warns that difficult decisions are on the horizon.

The senator noted, "People arent going to be happy, we're going to have to make some tough decisions when it comes to GMHA. And these audits don't help."

Hospital leadership outlined several pressing matters during Saturday’s discussion, including the possibility of securing critical access hospital designation, updates on centers for Medicaid and Medicare services’ rebasing of its Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act reimbursement cap, the Medicaid Family Caregiver Support Program, and expanding physician specialty services, such as cancer care, to reduce the need for off-island treatment.

The meeting set the stage for what’s expected to be a contentious oversight hearing this Wednesday, where lawmakers will question GMH officials on hiring practices, billing, and long-overdue capital improvements. One major point of contention will be a recent audit by the Office of Public Accountability, which criticized GMH for lacking clear policies when contracting physicians. 

GMH isn’t taking the audit lightly. In a firm response, hospital officials rejected the OPA’s findings, calling them “incorrect” and “misleading.” They argue the report contains “inaccuracies and shortcomings”—and they’re now asking Senator Salas Matanane to expand her oversight not just on GMH, but on the OPA itself.

Despite the challenges, Senator Salas Matanane says she remains focused on finding sustainable financial solutions for the hospital, telling KUAM News, "As much as we want to give money to GMH, they've got to be conducting themselves with more common sense."

The oversight hearing for GMHA is set for Wednesday, March 19 at 9am at the Guam Congress Building.