The US Department of Health and Human Services said Congress needs to increase federal investment, eliminate a Medicaid funding cap and expand eligibility for Puerto Ricans in the US territory.
"Legislative action is desperately needed ... Especially with Puerto Rico's Medicaid program," said Katie Martin, counselor to the department's secretary.
Federal health care plans serve nearly 70 percent of the population in Puerto Rico, where Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements are far lower than those on the US mainland.
Local government officials have said these and other inequalities are sinking the island's health care system.
Federal health officials said US Congress should approve legislation soon so that Puerto Rico is treated more like a US state.
"The (Medicaid) cap is not in place in the rest of the country," Martin said. "It's time to end it in Puerto Rico." The department recently implemented some changes that do not require legislation, such as allowing Puerto Rico access to drug rebates this year to help lower prescription drug costs in the Medicaid program. In addition, Congress late last year approved legislation that increases hospital payment rates by roughly 5 percent for treatment of Medicare patients. As a result, hospitals in Puerto Rico will receive an average of USD 60 million more a year.
Meanwhile, the US territory is pushing Congress for a restructuring mechanism as it struggles with USD 72 billion in public debt that the governor has said is unpayable.