Bill Text: HI HB2440 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating To Health.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-26 - Referred to HLT, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 3 [HB2440 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2024-HB2440-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2440
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO HEALTH.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that Hawaii residents deserve universal access and equity to quality healthcare at an affordable cost.  The Hawaii Prepaid Healthcare Act of 1974, the State Health Insurance Program Act of 1989, and the current successful med-QUEST program administered by the department of human services, are true examples of Hawaii's remarkable tradition of health system reform innovation; however today, Hawaii falls short of access to healthcare insurance with approximately eighty thousand uninsured and many more underinsured residents.

     Furthermore, the legislature finds with increasing healthcare insurance costs; excessive regulatory, administrative and delivery system complexities; growing unaffordability for families, businesses, and government; unacceptable variation in outcomes despite numerous examples of high-quality care; and growing stresses on recruiting and retaining sufficient healthcare professionals, a renewed commitment towards guaranteeing universal coverage, streamlined administrative costs, and health system modernization are necessary.

     Section 323D-11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, established the state health planning and development agency to administer the statewide health planning and cost containment activities.  While the state health planning and development agency has an effective certificate of need program, it is not sufficient to contain healthcare costs.  Furthermore, section 323D-18.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, requires health plans funded by the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund and the state medicaid agency to provide administrative data, including health and dental insurance data, to the state health planning and development agency.  These data, along with the acquisition of medicare data sets specific to Hawaii, are necessary to facilitate greater transparency and understanding of healthcare costs, healthcare system quality, population health conditions, and healthcare disparities.

     SECTION 2.  Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to establish a task force known as the hui ho`omana, which means "group to transform and empower," placed within and convened by the state health planning and development agency to make recommendations to achieve universal access and equity to quality healthcare at an affordable cost for state residents.

     The hui ho`omana shall consist of up to twenty-five voting members and ten nonvoting members.  The voting members shall include:

     (1)  The administrator of the state health planning and development agency or a designee;

     (2)  The director of health or a designee;

     (3)  The director of human services or a designee;

     (4)  The insurance commissioner or a designee;

     (5)  The chief executive officer of the Hawaii health systems corporation or a designee;

     (6)  The administrator of the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund or a designee;

     (7)  The dean of the university of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine or a designee;

     (8)  The representative of the city and county of Honolulu designated by the mayor of the city and county of Honolulu;

     (9)  The representative of the county of Kauai designated by the mayor of the county of Kauai;

    (10)  The representative of the county of Maui designated by the mayor of the county of Maui; and

    (11)  The representative of the county of Hawaii designated by the mayor of the county of Hawaii.

     The administrator of the state health planning and development agency shall invite the following persons to participate on the hui ho`omana as voting members:

     (1)  The president of the National Association of Social Workers, Hawaii Chapter, or a designee;

     (2)  The president and chief executive officer of the Hawaii Medical Service Association or a designee;

     (3)  The president of Kaiser Permanente for Southern California and Hawaii or a designee;

     (4)  The president and chief executive officer of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii or a designee;

     (5)  The chief executive officer of the Hawaii Primary Care Association or a designee;

     (6)  The executive director of the Hawaii Medical Association or a designee;

     (7)  The president of the Hawaii Nurses Association or a designee;

     (8)  The president and chief executive officer of The Queens Health System or a designee;

     (9)  The president and chief executive officer of Hawaii Pacific Health or a designee;

    (10)  The president of the Accountable Healthcare Alliance of Rural Oahu or a designee;

    (11)  The chief executive officer of Papa Ola Lōkahi or a designee;

    (12)  The chief executive officer of AlohaCare or a designee;

    (13)  The State Director of the American Association of Retired Persons or a designee; and

    (14)  The president of the Hawaii Pharmacists Association or a designee.

     The non-voting ex-officio members shall include:

     (1)  The chief of staff from the office of the governor or a designee;

     (2)  The chair of the senate committee on health and human services or a designee;

     (3)  The chair of the house committee on health and homelessness or a designee;

     (4)  Two senate-confirmed members selected and invited by the administrator of the state health planning and development agency from the statewide health coordinating council;

     (5)  The director of corrections and rehabilitation or a designee;

     (6)  One member from the department of health with expertise in rural health selected by the director of health;

     (7)  The director of the executive office on aging or a designee;

     (8)  The attorney general or a designee;

     (9)  The superintendent of education or a designee; and

    (10)  The director of commerce and consumer affairs or a designee.

     The first meeting of the hui ho`omana shall occur no later than thirty days after the enactment of this Act, and at the first meeting members shall elect a chair and vice chair and any other necessary officers from among the members.

     A majority of the hui ho`omana voting members present at any given meeting shall constitute a quorum to conduct business.

     The hui ho`omana shall meet no less than quarterly and  may meet more often than quarterly.  The state health planning and development agency shall provide administrative and clerical support required by the hui ho`omana.

     The hui ho`omana shall:

     (1)  Identify and prioritize necessary actions for a comprehensive plan to provide universal access to equitable and affordable high-quality healthcare for state residents;

     (2)  Determine a responsible party, timelines, and deadline for each necessary action identified in the comprehensive plan;

     (3)  Identify resources required and funding options, which may include financing from private, state, and federal entities.

     Members of the hui ho`omana shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses necessary for the performance of their duties, including travel expenses.

     The hui ho`omana shall submit a preliminary report of its findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2025 and a final report before the conclusion of the regular session of 2025; and shall be dissolved on July 1, 2025.

     SECTION 3.  If any part of this Act is found to be in conflict with federal requirements that are a prescribed condition for the allocation of federal funds to the State, the conflicting part of this Act is inoperative solely to the extent of the conflict.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________
	BY REQUEST

 

 

Report Title:

Healthcare Task Force; Hui Ho`omana; State Health Planning and Development Agency

 

Description:

Establishes the Hui Ho`omana task force within the State Health Planning and Development Agency to develop a comprehensive plan to provide universal access to equitable and affordable high-quality healthcare for state residents, including defining action plan items, setting timeline and deadline for each action item, and identifying resources required and funding options.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.