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Guam Memorial Hospital explains 48 new procedure supply fees, defends interim billing
Summary
Guam Memorial Hospital told legislators its December 2025 fee package lists 48 new supply-based items for cardiology and interventional radiology and that interim billing is allowed when supplies are needed before a public hearing; hospital staff said revenue projections are not yet complete and are exploring group purchasing to lower costs.
Hospital officials told the Committee on Health and Veterans Affairs on March 11 that Guam Memorial Hospital's December 2025 fee package adds 48 supply-specific charge codes for cardiology, surgery and interventional radiology (stents, catheters, guidewires and similar devices) and defended interim billing practices when supplies are needed before the public-comment process concludes.
Yuka Hattori Nova, GMH chief financial officer, and Saidy Taiseka, general accounting supervisor, said the new codes are for items that did not previously have discrete pricing — often new sizes or new manufacturers of existing devices. "These are all new supplies for the cardiology and interventional radiology departments," Hattori Nova said. GMH staff said the law permits interim fees when the hospital must use newly purchased supplies on patients before the public hearing and trustee resolution are complete.
Why it matters: Insurers at a prior GMH public hearing suggested some fees be applied only after the public hearing to allow preparation and review. Hospital staff told the committee that waiting could prevent charging patients for necessary materials used immediately in procedures and that the hospital typically provides invoices and documentation to insurers for review.
Revenue and procurement: GMH staff said they had not yet produced an estimate of total additional revenue from the 48 items but planned to add revenue projections to the fee-creation process. The hospital said it is exploring cooperative and group purchasing and GSA schedule options to reduce supply costs and minimize pass-through markups from mainland distributors. Shipping and global-surcharge costs were cited as ongoing upward pressures.
Next steps: Senators asked for clearer revenue estimates and for GMH to continue exploring purchasing strategies. The hospital staff offered to provide documentation and invoices to insurers and the committee as part of the follow-up. No legislative action on the fees was taken at the hearing; the committee adjourned.
