Healthcare

in committee · Hawaii · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 2409: RELATING TO THE HEALTHCARE EDUCATION LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

Requires a participant in the Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program to remain and work in the State for a certain number of years based on the amount of financial assistance received.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill incentivizes healthcare professionals to remain in-state via loan repayment, strengthening workforce retention and access to care through mandatory service requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce

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in committee · Hawaii · Senate Feb 13, 2026

SB 2390: RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Beginning 1/1/2027, requires health insurers, mutual benefit societies, health maintenance organizations, and health plans under the State's Medicaid managed care program to provide coverage for biomarker testing.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurers and Medicaid to cover biomarker testing, expanding diagnostic access and strengthening health coverage requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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in committee · Hawaii · House Feb 2, 2026

HB 2552: RELATING TO EMERGENCY HEALTHCARE LICENSURE WAIVERS.

HB 2552 allows temporary exemptions from specific healthcare licensing requirements during declared emergencies, enabling out-of-state or temporarily unlicensed healthcare workers to provide services. It directly affects healthcare workers seeking to practice during crises and patients needing urgent care access. The bill mandates that the state submit an annual report to the legislature detailing how these waivers were implemented and their impact. This creates a structured process for expanding workforce flexibility in emergencies while maintaining accountability.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables temporary healthcare worker practice during emergencies, improving patient access to urgent care without restricting licensing requirements.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

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in committee · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 648: RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

Requires the Developmental Disabilities Division of the Department of Health to amend its eligibility criteria for the home and community-based services Medicaid waiver to include individuals having an intellectual or a developmental disability and a comorbid mental illness. Appropriates funds.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Medicaid waiver eligibility for mental illness comorbidities and appropriates funds, directly supporting mental health services within healthcare coverage.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Mental Health Tags People with Disabilities

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in committee · Hawaii · House Dec 8, 2025

HB 216: RELATING TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.

Establishes requirements for the clinical review criteria and clinical practical guidelines used to establish step therapy protocols. Provides a process for a patient to request an exception to using step therapy protocols. Establishes insurance coverage requirements relating to the use of step therapy protocols and standards to appeal an adverse step therapy exception determination.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates patient exception processes for step therapy, improves prescription drug access, and protects patient rights via appeal standards for insurance coverage.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Prescription Drugs

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 1426: RELATING TO EMERGENCY AEROMEDICAL SERVICES.

Appropriates funds to the counties to increase access to emergency aeromedical services. Appropriates funds into and out of the Emergency Medical Services Special Fund to the Department of Health for the establishment and operating expenses for emergency aeromedical services. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAppropriates funds to increase access to emergency aeromedical services, directly funding critical healthcare access and expanding emergency medical services coverage.95% confidence

Track

in committee · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 567: RELATING TO TAXATION.

SB 567 establishes a state income tax credit for individuals who pay for medical travel expenses not covered by insurance. Eligible residents could reduce their income tax bill by the amount spent on qualifying travel, such as trips to specialists or treatment centers. The credit applies only to costs not reimbursed through insurance coverage. This policy directly affects people facing out-of-pocket transportation costs for medical care.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax credit reducing income tax burden for medical travel costs, directly advancing tax relief for individuals facing out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProvides tax credit for uninsured medical travel costs, reducing financial barriers to healthcare access and directly improving patient affordability for essential care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Tax Credits Insurance

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in committee · Hawaii · House Dec 8, 2025

HB 1197: RELATING TO CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY.

Authorizes the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to utilize student education partnerships to increase the amount of mental health care providers in correctional facilities across the State. Appropriates funds.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAuthorizes DC&R to expand mental health providers in prisons via student partnerships, funding rehabilitation programs to reduce recidivism in correctional facilities.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds student partnerships to increase mental health providers in correctional facilities, directly expanding access to mental health services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Mental Health

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in committee · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 953: RELATING TO HOSPITALS.

Establishes the State's Hospital Price Transparency Act. Prohibits hospitals from taking certain debt collection actions against a patient if the hospital is not in compliance with hospital price transparency laws. Allows patients and patient guarantors to file suit against hospitals in violation. Requires hospitals to make public and post their Medicare reimbursement rates no later than 10/1/25 and deems violations as an unfair and deceptive act or practice. Requires the Department of Health to conduct performance assessments of hospitals for adherence to federal transparency rules annually and make a list of hospitals with poor performance available on its website no later than 2/1/2026. Requires the Department of Health to adopt rules.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires hospitals to post Medicare rates and prohibits debt collection for non-compliance, protecting patients from surprise bills and improving price transparency in healthcare access.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicare

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in committee · Hawaii · House Dec 8, 2025

HB 646: RELATING TO SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME.

Requires the Department of Human Services to automatically enroll, or authorize the Social Security Administration to automatically enroll, in the State's Medicaid program any individual in the State who receives federal Supplemental Security Income benefits. Requires reports to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAutomatically enrolls SSI recipients into Medicaid, expanding health coverage access for vulnerable populations without additional steps.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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