Report Title:

Health; Children

Description:

Requires the department of human services to provide state‑funded medical assistance, of up to three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level, to persons less then nineteen years of age at no cost; appropriates funds for this purpose.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1217
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
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 currently, the department of human services provides state‑funded medical assistance to children, of up to two hundred fifty per cent of the federal poverty level, at no charge to a child's family.  Families that fall into the range of two hundred fifty to three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level, are charged a sliding scale premium for medical assistance for their children.  However, even these low cost premiums can pose a financial hardship for some families.

     Children who remain uninsured typically do not receive an appropriate level of medical care.  Children who lack a regular source of medical care, or who must rely on receiving medical care from a hospital emergency department, are unlikely to receive preventive care or early and regular management of acute or chronic health conditions.

     Raising the eligibility threshold for children to receive state‑funded medical assistance to three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level will enable close to two thousand children to become eligible for medical assistance and will enable their families to relinquish this financial burden.

     The purpose of this Act is to require the department of human services to provide state‑funded medical assistance, of up to three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level, to persons less then nineteen years of age at no cost and to appropriate funds for the provision of this additional medical assistance.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§346‑   Medical assistance to children. (a)  The department shall provide state‑funded medical assistance, of up to three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level, at no cost to persons less than nineteen years of age who are eligible for benefits under the State's medicaid programs, including QUEST and the State's children health insurance program."

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $4,600,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009, for the purposes of this Act.

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

     SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2007.

INTRODUCED BY:

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