REPORT TITLE:
Emerg. App. Medical Assistance


DESCRIPTION:
Makes emergency appropriation of $4,075,000 in general funds and
$4,243,025 in other federal funds for the medical assistance
program to reimburse its health care providers for fiscal year
1999-2000.  (SD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        2858
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           S.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION FOR THE STATE MEDICAL
   ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.



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

 1      SECTION 1.  This Act is recommended by the governor for
 
 2 immediate passage in accordance with section 9 of article VII of
 
 3 the Constitution of the State of Hawaii.
 
 4      SECTION 2.  Act 91, Session Laws of Hawaii 1999,
 
 5 appropriated a sum of money to the department of human services
 
 6 to provide funds for the medical assistance program under the
 
 7 department's Med-Quest division for the fiscal period beginning
 
 8 July 1, 1999 and ending June 30, 2000.
 
 9      A critical funding emergency exists.  The medical assistance
 
10 program, also known as the medicaid program and which serves the
 
11 aged, blind, and disabled population, will expend all
 
12 appropriated funds before the end of the current fiscal year and
 
13 the department will be unable to meet its fiscal obligation to
 
14 provide health care services to medicaid recipients.  The
 
15 escalating cost of nursing facility care and the continued rise
 
16 in the cost of new pharmaceutical drugs are primary contributing
 
17 factors to this financial situation.  The extent of the increase
 
18 in costs was not anticipated and reflects an unusually high
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           S.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 escalation over the previous year.
 
 2      To prevent the reduction or discontinuance of direct medical
 
 3 services for medicaid recipients, additional funds are urgently
 
 4 needed.
 
 5      SECTION 3.  There is appropriated or authorized from the
 
 6 sources of funding indicated below the following sums, or so much
 
 7 thereof as may be necessary, for the fiscal year 1999-2000, and
 
 8 to be used for health care payments for aged, blind, and disabled
 
 9 medicaid recipients:
 
10           General Funds:              $4,075,000
 
11           Other Federal Funds:        $4,243,025
 
12      SECTION 4.  The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
 
13 department of human services for the purposes of this Act.
 
14      SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.