of four medication prescriptions per calendar month. . . . BHH covers dialysis treatments as an emergency medical service only, and the approximate ten to twelve prescription medications dialysis patients take per month are not fully covered. BHH . . . caus[es] cancer patients to exhaust their allotted doctors' visits within two to three months". Noting that such a policy likely constituted unlawful discrimination in violation of the Equal Protection Clause, federal District Court Judge John Michael Seabright issued a preliminary injunction against the implementation of Basic Health Hawaii. In finding a high likelihood of irreparable harm, Judge Seabright took note of the "compelling evidence that BHH's limited coverage . . . is causing COFA Residents to forego much needed treatment because they cannot otherwise afford it". Lingle's successor, Governor Neil Abercrombie continued the state's appeal of the injunction to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which ruled in favor of the state. When the United States Supreme Court refused to hear the case, the Abercrombie administration removed most COFA residents from Med-QUEST and transferred them onto Affordable Care Act plans. In other states, notably Arkansas, which has a significant population of Marshallese, COFA residents have not been eligible for Medicaid. See also Associated state Protectorate Territories of the United States Sovereigntism (Puerto Rico) References Footnotes Bibliography "Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Palau" is found at: External links USCompact.org, USDOI Honolulu Field Office 1986 Compact of Free Association between RMI and FSM Proclamation by Ronald Reagan about the 1986 COFA between RMI and FSM Pacific Islands Report: Compacts of Free Association Renegotiations (includes the text of the 2003 RMI and FSM COFAs) 1986 in the Federated States of Micronesia 1986 in the Marshall Islands 1994 in Palau Federated States of Micronesia–United States relations Associated states Government of Palau Government of the Federated States of Micronesia Government of the Marshall Islands Marshall Islands–United States relations Palau–United States relations Treaties concluded in 1986 Treaties concluded in 1994 Treaties of Palau Treaties of the Federated States of Micronesia Treaties of the Marshall Islands Treaties of the United States