Hawaii House Bill HCR176

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/7/25
• Refer: 3/14/25

Caption

Supporting The Reactivation Of, And Urging The Governor To Appoint Members To, The Hawaii Health Authority To Plan For A Transition To A Maximally Cost-effective Single-payer Health Care System For The State, To Be Implemented As Soon As Possible After Waivers Have Been Obtained To Capture All Major Sources Of Federal Funding Flowing To The State Through Medicare, Medicaid, And Tricare.

Impact

The implementation of a single-payer health care system in Hawaii could lead to significant savings by reducing administrative costs associated with current health care financing. Proponents argue that such a system could lower health care expenses by approximately thirty percent, impacting state expenditures, which currently allocate about thirty percent of the total budget to health care costs for Medicaid and state employees.

Summary

HCR176, introduced in the Thirty-third Legislature of Hawaii, seeks to reactivate the Hawaii Health Authority and urges the governor to appoint members to this body. The primary goal of the resolution is to plan for a transition to a single-payer health care system that would be maximally cost-effective. This system is intended to address potential federal cuts to Medicaid funding and is seen as a necessary measure to maintain and improve health care delivery across the state.

Contention

While advocates of HCR176 assert that a single-payer system would streamline costs and improve care delivery, potential contention arises from concerns about the future structure of healthcare financing and the impact on current providers. Some legislators express apprehension regarding the feasibility of funding such a comprehensive system, especially amid anticipated federal funding cuts. Additionally, there are worries that during the transition to a single-payer model, there could be disruptions in care and hesitance from healthcare providers to adapt to a new administrative framework.

Additional_points

Furthermore, the resolution outlines that the Hawaii Health Authority, which exists within state law but has been inactive, is tasked with producing a report detailing its progress and any recommendations including proposed legislation within a specific timeline. This establishes a framework for accountability moving forward and highlights the urgency perceived by legislators regarding health care reform in Hawaii.