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High Commissioner, I.T. of the Pacific Islands
District Administrator, Marshalls
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Utirik -— Ronselan Kedical Arreement
A cuestion has arisen concerning the differences between the provisions of
Public Law 5-52, passed in the first resular session of the Sth Conrress
of Micronesia in 1973, as compared with the provisions of the Arreement
between the U.S. Atomic Enersy Cormission (mow ERDA), ond the Trust
Territory dated November &, LOT.
The Coneress of Micronesia in Public
law 5-52 saw Mt to provide medical benefits of a rather broad nature te
the people of Ronrelap and Utirdik.
The Act further specifies that the
medical benefits will be available to the descendants of exposed persons,
as Cefined in the Act.
Section 10 of the Act also directed the High
Commissioner to seek an Dxecutave Arreement with the AEC to cerray the
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to above, between AEC and the Trust Territory, limits the medical services
only to people on the Poster of the Brookhaven Fedical Survey ‘eam and
rakes no provision for the descendants of those people who were exposed to
trradiation,
To our imewledge the Consress of Ficronesia, after having passed Public
Taw 5-D2, has provided no fumding for carrying out its provisions.
A further reference to Public Law 5-52 and the AEC - T.f.
Arreement, referred
to above, provides another problem, to wit; Public Law 5=o2 provides
healtn services and medical benefits to all of the neonle of Monrelar and
Utivik whereas the Agreement between AEC and the “rust Serritery provides only
for those npeonle in the control sroup, referred to above.
Therefore, it is
necessary for a cetermination to be made ky some medical nerson or staff as to
the nature of the referral for redical treatment as to whether the jliness is
fron effects of irradiation or from other causes.
Our question, very simmly,
4s this, who has responsibility for making this deteimmination?
f3so, another problem area is that involvinr dental work.
Chould Public Law
-52 be interpreted so as to provide complete cental care, inecludins
dentiwes, or should it be limited to providing those services ained toward
maintaining healthy teeth and gums?
Iinally, if the Marshall Islands Mstrict is to be required to pay for the
medical assistance nrovided under Public Law 5-52, the Marshall Islands
DNstrict WiLL have to enrare in deficit financing, because this prosran is well
beyond our fiscal plan and ability to pay for these services.
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