Bill Text: HI SB2794 | 2018 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Making An Emergency Appropriation To The Department Of Human Services.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-02-05 - The committee on HMS deferred the measure. [SB2794 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2018-SB2794-Introduced.html

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2794

TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  This Act is recommended by the governor for immediate passage in accordance with section 9 of article VII of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii.

     A critical fiscal emergency exists.  A funding shortfall in the current fiscal year 2017-2018 in health care payments (HMS 401) is projected because Congress has not reauthorized the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).  While Hawaii is one of seventeen states to receive redistribution grants from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services, these temporary reallocated CHIP funds are running out.  The department of human services estimates that these additional CHIP funds will end toward the end of February.  The department projects the resulting budget shortfall of $9,300,000 for state fiscal year 2017-2018.

     Hawaii's medicaid program provides insurance coverage for over forty per cent of Hawaii's children, or 146,000 children, of whom 25,000 are covered by CHIP.  The Med-QUEST division of the department of human services administers the CHIP program as a medicaid expansion program, and despite federal funding disruptions, will continue to provide children and families with health insurance coverage.

     The purpose of this Act is to appropriate $9,300,000 in general funds for fiscal year 2017-2018 for health care payments (HMS 401) to address the funding shortfall in the medicaid program resulting from the failure of Congress to reauthorize the CHIP program or to provide sufficient federal matching funds.

     The emergency appropriation will ensure that the department will continue to provide medical insurance coverage for children and continue to serve its other medicaid program beneficiaries.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $9,300,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2017-2018 to be used for health care payments (HMS 401).

     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 upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

BY REQUEST


 


 

Report Title:

Health Care Payments (HMS 401); Emergency Appropriation

 

Description:

Makes an emergency appropriation from the general revenues of the State of Hawaii for fiscal year 2017-2018 to address the budget shortfall for health care payments program (HMS 401) in the Department of Human Services.  Effective upon approval.

 

 

 

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

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