Report Title:

Health Care; Immigrants; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds for health care services for low-income, uninsured immigrants.

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2654

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE.

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii is one of the top five states in the nation with numbers of immigrant residents on a per capita basis. On average, five to eight thousand immigrants enter Hawaii every year.

The legislature further finds that immigrants come to Hawaii seeking better living conditions and opportunities to work. Hawaii's businesses rely on immigrants who frequently fill low-paying, unskilled, and part-time jobs. Immigrant workers, therefore, contribute to society but are vulnerable since they lack health insurance for themselves and their dependents because of work status and poverty.

The legislature further finds that state funds are appropriated to the "Hawaii immigrant health initiative", implemented by the department of human services. This initiative ensures that basic health care is available to low income immigrants who meet medicaid eligibility criteria, but who are ineligible for medicaid coverage due to the 1996 Welfare Reform Act. However, funds currently available are inadequate to cover services needed by immigrants that are provided by community health centers and other nonprofit caregivers across the state. For example, in fiscal year 2003, billings for services rendered to eligible immigrants amounted to more than $640,000, while only $530,000 in funds were available. Since 1999, the program has served between one thousand three hundred and one thousand six hundred individuals a year.

The legislature further finds that services provided under the Hawaii immigrant health initiative are for preventative and primary health care delivered by community health centers. The medical conditions most frequently treated in this program are hypertension, diabetes, pregnancy, and respiratory ailments. If these conditions are not addressed through the Hawaii immigrant health initiative, costs for uncompensated care delivered at hospital emergency rooms and for avoidable hospitalizations will be far greater and will affect public and private insurance rates for all Hawaii residents.

The purpose of this Act is to ensure that low-income, uninsured immigrants have access to primary and preventative health care services.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $140,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2004-2005, for health care services for low-income, uninsured immigrants as a supplement to the $540,000 currently budgeted for the program.

SECTION 3. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2004.

INTRODUCED BY:

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