Bill Text: HI HB2544 | 2024 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Medical Transportation.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 21-0)
Status: (Engrossed) 2024-03-22 - Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. [HB2544 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2024-HB2544-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
2544 |
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THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
S.D. 1 |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that between 2020 and 2021, Molokai and Lanai lost access to two air carriers, leaving both islands with a single air carrier available to the public for departures from each island. Since then, residents have been plagued with inconsistent and undependable air transportation services, including frequent and last-minute flight changes, cancellations, and lengthy delays. Residents in the rural communities of Molokai and Lanai are medically underserved, which means that residents are routinely referred to providers on Maui or Oahu for medical care. Delays, cancellations, and flight changes may cause residents traveling for medical treatment to miss important and potentially life‑saving treatments, including surgeries and chemotherapy treatments that were scheduled months earlier and may take weeks to months to reschedule.
The purpose of this Act is to establish a two-year essential rural medical air transport pilot project to make chartered plane seats available to patients and medical insurers to consistently and dependably transport residents of certain medically underserved rural islands.
SECTION 2. (a) There is established within the department of health the essential rural medical air transport pilot project.
(b) The purpose of the pilot project shall be to provide residents of rural islands with increased access to medical care.
(c) The pilot project shall charter flights and:
(1) Allow insurance companies to reserve and pay for seats on those flights for:
(A) Insured individuals residing on a rural island to be transported to and from an urban island for medical and health care services, including appointments with medical providers; and
(B) The companions of insured individuals to accompany the insured individuals; and
(2) Allow companions of insured individuals to reserve and pay for seats on those flights to accompany the insured individuals.
(d) The pilot project shall seek reimbursement or payment from insurers to the maximum extent possible.
(e) Subject to available funds and demand, the pilot project shall attempt to offer at least roundtrip flights per week.
(f) The department of health shall consult with appointment schedulers, patient navigators, provider staff, and insurers to coordinate patient appointment times with flight times.
(g) The department of health may contract with a private entity to administer the pilot project.
(h) The department of health shall submit a report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026. The report shall contain:
(1) The expenses and revenues of the pilot project;
(2) The number of seats sold to:
(A) Insured individuals seeking transportation to obtain medical services;
(B) Companions of insured persons; and
(C) Other residents of a rural island,
who used the pilot project;
(3) Any other relevant findings; and
(4) Recommendations about whether the pilot project should be extended, amended, made permanent, or terminated, and any proposed legislation.
(i) The pilot program shall cease to exist on June 30, 2026.
(j) For the purpose of this Act:
"Rural island" means an island within the State that has a population of more than one thousand, but less than ten thousand.
"Urban island" means an island within the State that:
(1) Has a population of more than nine hundred thousand; or
(2) Has a population of more than one hundred thousand but less than one hundred eighty thousand.
SECTION 3. This Act shall not be construed to limit or prevent any individual from obtaining transportation to another location for medical treatment or to reduce or limit any insurance reimbursement or coverage for those transportation costs.
SECTION 4. In accordance with section 9 of article VII, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii and sections 37-91 and 37-93, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the legislature has determined that the appropriation contained in this Act will cause the state general fund expenditure ceiling for fiscal year 2024-2025 to be exceeded by $ , or per cent. The reasons for exceeding the general fund expenditure ceiling are that the appropriation made in this Act is necessary to serve the public interest and to meet the needs provided for by this Act.
SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the establishment of necessary positions and the other expenses of the essential rural medical air transport pilot project.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on December 31, 2050.
Report Title:
DOH; Essential Rural Medical Air Transport Pilot Project; Charter Flights; Appropriation; Expenditure Ceiling
Description:
Establishes within the Department of Health a 2-year pilot project to charter flights from rural islands to an urban island to provide rural island residents with reliable transportation to medical care on urban islands. Appropriates funds. Declares that the general fund expenditure ceiling is exceeded. Sunsets 6/30/2026. Takes effect 12/31/2050. (SD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
