Hawaii-2017-HR119-Introduced

WHEREAS, the current federal administration is taking steps to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, which is causing great uncertainty among health care providers and payers throughout the country; and

WHEREAS, even though Hawaii has instituted precautionary measures to preserve many benefits of the Affordable Care Act through the State's Prepaid Health Care Act, repeal of the federal law will likely affect the availability of health care within the State; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii was among the states to elect to implement an expanded Medicaid program pursuant to the Affordable Care Act and, currently, over 330,000 Hawaii residents receive medical care through the State's Med-QUEST Division; and

WHEREAS, the imminent repeal of some or all federal support for state Medicaid programs, in combination with features of Hawaii's medical landscape such as the shortage of providers, lack of access on neighbor islands, and insufficient facility capacity will be detrimental to the delivery of preventative care and availability of treatment in the State; and

WHEREAS, chapter 322H, Hawaii Revised Statutes, establishes the Hawaii Health Authority as a policy board, administratively attached to the Department of Budget and Finance and responsible for overall health planning for the State, including for developing a comprehensive health plan to provide universal health coverage to all Hawaii residents; and

WHEREAS, although the Hawaii Health Authority has been dormant since 2013, its enabling statutes remain effective, making it possible to revive the Authority so it can fulfill its statutory mission for the benefit of the State; and

WHEREAS, the Hawaii Health Authority's final report, released January 7, 2013, recommended that the State begin taking steps toward establishing universal health care with a unified delivery system, also known as an all-payer system; and

WHEREAS, because the nation's health care system is in its current state of uncertainty and disorganization, it is now time to implement bold solutions to allow Hawaii to retain its place as a national leader in health care policy and provide Hawaii residents with stable and certain access to quality health care; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2017, that the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are requested to nominate candidates and the Governor is requested to appoint members to the Hawaii Health Authority pursuant to section 322H-1(b), Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Finance is requested to take any actions necessary, including requesting any necessary budget appropriations and making any necessary staff or resources available, to enable the Hawaii Health Authority to resume its duties to undertake comprehensive health care planning for the State and to prepare a plan for a universal, all-payer health care system; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Finance, and Med-QUEST Division Administrator.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Hawaii Health Authority; Universal, All-payer Health Care

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	119
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017
STATE OF HAWAII