Residents of American Samoa have been spared higher hospital rates after the passage of new funding by the US Congress.
The LBJ Hospital had advertised a rate increase which would have raised the fee to see the doctor by 400 percent and double the cost of a hospital stay.
But it delayed the fee hike until January the 14th to allow the local government time to come up with funding.
Governor Togiola Tulafono says with Congress approving the Department of Interior appropriation, a projected seven million US dollar shortfall for the LBJ Hospital has been negated.
He says it's a blessing.
"And better yet, we now have breathing room to look at solutions. Now we have more time to look ahead and discuss further potential solutions for the long term for our medical centre"
