Expands the coverage of QUEST-Net to include non-QUEST eligible persons who are employed but do not qualify for employer-based private health insurance or who are unemployed; makes appropriation. (SD1)

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs reported on October 13, 2004 that there are one hundred twenty thousand people in Hawaii who lack health insurance. The legislature finds that a significant amount of this population works part-time at less than twenty hours per week and does not qualify for the statutorily required employer-sponsored prepaid health insurance coverage. The legislature further finds that there is large portion of this population who is unemployed. The State could alleviate this problem by covering these individuals under the QUEST-Net program.

QUEST-Net is an existing program for people who no longer qualify for QUEST or Medicaid fee-for-service due to exceeding the income or asset limits. A person must already be enrolled in one of these two programs and have a monthly income below three hundred per cent of the federal poverty line to be eligible for QUEST-Net which provides a limited benefits package, including coverage for children at the same benefits level as a child in QUEST or Medicaid fee-for-service. There is a monthly fee for a QUEST-Net enrollee.

The purpose of this Act is to expand the eligibility for QUEST-Net.

SECTION 2. The Hawaii QUEST-Net program, in addition to the enrollee requirements existing as of the effective date of this Act, shall include a program to provide individual and family coverage to the same extent as the Hawaii QUEST program to an:

SECTION 3. An individual qualifying to enroll in Hawaii QUEST-Net under section 2 of this Act may be required to:

SECTION 4. 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 2005-2006, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for expansion of the QUEST-Net program as provided in sections 2 and 3 of this Act.

SECTION 5. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2005.