‘United States Departmer
Attachment C
OFFICE OF THE SECReriaky
WASHINGTON, D.C.
20240
APR 16 1984
Honorable Alex G. Fremling
Acting Assistant Secretary for
Environmental Protection,
Safety, and Emergency Preparedness
Department of Energy
Washington, D.C. 20585
Dear Mr. Fremling:
Thank you for your letter of March 27, 1981, on the matter
of medical costs associated with non-radiation related
medical conditions among the Rongelap and Utirik people.
We realize that this matter has been the subject of several
discussions in the past, but unfortunately circumstances are
such that resolution to the satisfaction of all concerned
does not appear possible until the adoption of a health plan
pursuant to Public Law 96-205.
We understand the reasons why the visiting Brookhaven National
Laboratory and contractor physicians on the Rongelap and
Utirik medical surveys have felt it necessary in the past
refer non-radiation related medical cases to Honolulu.
times there have undoubtediv been emergency conditions th
warranted such action.
Additionally, the Majuro Hospital
obviously did not have the capability to treat certain
petients.
The fact remains,
however,
that the Marshall Islands Government
has the responsibility for providing reguler medical care tc
its citizens.
The Marshall Islands Government receives
approximately $2 million a year in Federal funds specifically
for health services, as part of its annual grant-in-aid from
the Office of the High Commissioner. In the FY 82 budget
year, the health operation allocation for the Marshall
Islands is set at $2,075,000.
Of this amount, $378,000 is
earmarked for outside referral costs.
Additionally, the
Government of the Marshall Islands appropriates funds from
local revenues for medical referral costs, since for the
last several years these referrai costs often have exceeded
$500,000.
There also has been local criticism of the use of
the medical referral program, and this led to the establishment