RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES.

SB 1647 allocates state funds to the Department of Human Services to directly pay primary care physicians for services provided to Med-QUEST recipients. This bill specifically affects low-income Hawaii residents enrolled in Med-QUEST (the state's Medicaid program) and the primary care doctors who treat them. The key mechanism is a funding stream that shifts payment responsibility from physicians to the state agency, ensuring doctors receive reimbursement for care delivered to these patients. The bill aims to streamline payments without changing eligibility or coverage for Med-QUEST beneficiaries.