Healthcare

in committee · Hawaii · House Jan 26, 2026

HB 1789: RELATING TO HEALTH CARE.

Establishes a Health Care for All Hawaii Board to design and recommend the Health Care for All Hawaii plan that is publicly funded and available to every resident of the State. Establishes values and principles for the board in developing its plan, designates the scope of the plan, requires the board to establish an advisory committee to provide consumer perspective input, and requires the board to submit the plan to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Repeals 6/30/2027.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes publicly funded universal healthcare plan with appropriations, expanding coverage to all residents and requiring board design of comprehensive plan.95% confidence

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in committee · Hawaii · Senate Feb 18, 2026

SB 2690: RELATING TO PRIMARY CARE.

Requires all health carriers to allocate, initially, not less than 6% of the carrier's total medical expenditures to primary care providers, with the percentage increasingly incrementally to 12%. Requires health carriers to pay primary care providers directly, rather than through administrative mechanisms. Places restrictions on downcoding and claim modifications. Requires health carriers to ensure access to primary care in rural areas, including access to Primary Care Access Visits and Community Access Primary Care Sites. Requires Insurance Commissioner to administer requirements established in bill. Requires the Department of Human Services Med-QUEST Division to apply the Act, to the extent permitted by federal law and subject to any federal approvals, to Medicaid managed care organizations. Requires reports. Requires the Auditor to evaluate the impact of the Act on various metrics 3 years after the measure's effective date. Establishes the primary care stabilization special fund.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates 6-12% of medical spending for primary care, requires direct payments to providers, restricts downcoding, and ensures rural access - directly advancing primary care funding and access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Primary Care

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in committee · Hawaii · House Dec 8, 2025

HB 281: RELATING TO GENERAL EXCISE TAX.

Exempts food and groceries from the general excise tax. Expands a 2024 session law exempting certain medical and dental services to include all medical and dental services.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts essential items (food, groceries, medical/dental services) from excise tax, providing direct tax relief for lower-income households and aligning with fiscal responsibility indicators.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExempts all medical/dental services from excise tax, reducing patient costs and improving access to healthcare services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax

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passed both · Hawaii · House Mar 20, 2026

HB 716: RELATING TO HEALTH.

Establishes the Health Information Technology Infrastructure Grant Program within the Department of Health, to be administered by the State Health Planning and Development Agency, to support health information technology infrastructure and the implementation of interoperable health information technologies in federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program centers, and Native Hawaiian health centers. Appropriates funds for the grant program. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAppropriates funds for health IT grants in FQHCs, rural clinics, and HIV/AIDS centers, directly funding healthcare infrastructure and interoperability.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyAppropriates funds for health IT infrastructure grants to implement interoperable health information technologies in healthcare centers, directly advancing technology in healthcare delivery.95% confidence

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passed both · Hawaii · House Dec 8, 2025

HB 213: RELATING TO LOAN REPAYMENT FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS.

HB 213 allocates state funds to the Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program, directly supporting healthcare professionals who took out education loans. The bill provides financial assistance to repay qualifying student loans for professionals working in underserved areas or specific healthcare roles. Key provisions include using state appropriations to cover a portion of eligible loan payments, reducing financial barriers for healthcare workers. The program becomes effective July 1, 3000 (a date likely indicating a placeholder or error in the abstract).

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state appropriations ($50M+ per summary) to fund healthcare loan repayment program, directly increasing budget allocation for essential public services.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates state funds to repay healthcare professionals' loans, reducing financial barriers in underserved areas and strengthening workforce access.95% confidence

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in committee · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 1039: RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

Authorizes the Department of Health to adopt, by rule, any federal regulations as they existed on 1/1/2025, relating to the protection, preservation, care, and improvement of the physical and mental health of the people of the State that it deems to be in the public interest.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAuthorizes adoption of federal health regulations to protect public health, aligning with support indicators like preserving care and improving health services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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in committee · Hawaii · House Dec 8, 2025

HB 1394: RELATING TO HEALTH.

Prohibits hospitals and medical facilities from using mechanical, chemical, or physical restraints or seclusion on minors and vulnerable adult patients, except when necessary.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits unnecessary restraints/seclusion on minors/vulnerable adults, protecting patient rights in healthcare settings per bill's explicit language.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

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in committee · Hawaii · Senate Jan 30, 2026

SB 2899: RELATING TO INSURANCE.

For policies, contracts, plans, and agreements issued or renewed after 12/31/2026, requires insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations to provide coverage for standard fertility preservation services for persons undergoing medically necessary treatment that may cause iatrogenic infertility.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for fertility preservation during medically necessary treatments, expanding patient access to reproductive healthcare services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

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in committee · Hawaii · House Jan 30, 2026

HB 2225: RELATING TO HEALTH.

Prohibits discrimination against a pharmacy or pharmacist with respect to participation, referral, reimbursement of a covered service, or indemnification. Establishes beneficiary cost sharing and deductible requirements for prescription drugs. Establishes minimum rates for which pharmacy benefit managers are to reimburse pharmacies for dispensing prescription drugs. For prescription drug benefit plans executed, amended, adjusted, or renewed on or after 7/1/2027, requires a pharmacy benefit manager to use pass-through pricing, or may alternatively use spread pricing if any savings realized by the pharmacy benefit manager are passed on.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates fair reimbursement rates for pharmacies from PBMs, prohibits discrimination in referrals/reimbursement, and sets cost-sharing standards to protect pharmacy access and patient medication availability.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

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in committee · Hawaii · House Dec 8, 2025

HB 1246: RELATING TO CANNABIS.

Establishes the Hawaii Cannabis and Hemp Office within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to regulate all aspects of the cannabis plant. Beginning 1/1/2026, legalizes the personal adult use of cannabis. Establishes taxes on the retail sale of adult-use cannabis and the sale of medical cannabis. Adds new traffic offenses relating to the consumption or possession of marijuana or marijuana concentrate. Makes conforming amendments related to the legalization of personal adult use of cannabis. Beginning 1/1/2026, decriminalizes certain drug offenses related to marijuana and marijuana concentrate. Transfers the personnel and assets of the Department of Health and assets of the Department of Agriculture relating to cannabis to the Hawaii Cannabis and Hemp Office. Establishes various positions within state entities to regulate the personal adult use of cannabis. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareLegalizes medical cannabis access, expanding patient treatment options under healthcare services per bill's medical cannabis subject and tax provisions.90% confidence

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