SB 2087 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE.

Summary

Establishes a three-year Health Coverage Continuity Pilot Program to be administered by the Department of Human Services, in consultation with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, to subsidize the cost of certain health insurance deductibles for eligible individuals. Authorizes the Department to contract with a nonprofit health insurer or community-based organization to operate the Pilot Program; provided that the Department shall allow the operator to access state-backed reinsurance or risk stabilization support for the operation of the Pilot Program. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Repeals 6/30/2029. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 14, 2026 Last action Mar 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB2087_SD1 → SB2087_SD2 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill revision updates the pilot program's effective date to July 1, 2050, while keeping the repeal date at June 30, 2029, creating a future-dated window. It clarifies that subsidies must cover evidence-based preventive services rather than just general preventative care and modifies the rules for combining subsidies with other coverage. The department's authority to provide financial support to program operators is now limited to excess loss protection after costs exceed a specific threshold. The bill also corrects a grammatical error in the definition section by changing 'purpose' to 'purposes'.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains a health coverage continuity pilot program, but the applicability timeline has been shifted significantly into the future, and the definition of covered services has been narrowed to specific evidence-based preventive measures.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the Act was changed from immediate approval to July 1, 2050, while the repeal date remains June 30, 2029.

ELIGIBILITY

Subsidies are now restricted to evidence-based preventive services, screenings, diagnostic tests, counseling, and risk-reduction interventions intended for early detection or illness prevention.

REQUIREMENT

The rule allowing subsidies to be combined with other coverage was updated to specify that the other coverage must be offered under the pilot program itself.

FISCAL

The department's ability to provide financial support to program operators was changed from general stabilization support to excess loss protection, which only applies after operator costs exceed a department-determined threshold.

TECHNICAL

A grammatical correction was made in Section 2(i) changing 'purpose' to 'purposes'.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to HSH, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 17

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 163) in amended form (SD 2).

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Mar 3, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.

upper

Mar 3, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in CPN were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, Lamosao, McKelvey; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Awa.

upper

Feb 27, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN/WAM will hold a public decision making on 03-03-26 10:16AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to CPN/WAM.

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Committee

Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2161) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to CPN/WAM.

upper

Feb 4, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, McKelvey, Kanuha, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Jan 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 02-02-26 1:05PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 22, 2026

Committee

Referred to HHS, CPN/WAM.

upper

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 14, 2026

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

8 primary · 2 co-sponsors