FACE Health Care Summit II

About a hundred and thirty people braved stormy weather to hear from Representative Neil Abercrombie, Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, Senator Rosalyn Baker, House Speaker Calvin Say, and Representative John Mizuno talk about health care issues facing our State. We also heard from Mr. Joshua Wisch (Representative Mazie Hirono’s Field Service Director), Dr. Kenneth Fink, Med-Quest Division Administrator (representing Lillian Koller), Daniel Kerwin from Unite Here, Local 5 and Mr. Richard Bettini, CEO of the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center.

FACE continues to push for an increase in Medicaid reimbursements to health care service providers and supports HB1525 (which would limit health insurers contracting for government funded health care to non-profits or mutual benefit societies. HB1525 has passed the House and is now in the Senate. After listening to testimonies in the House we are proposing an amendment to the bill to allow both for profit and non-profit health insurers to contract with the State to provide medical services to Medicaid patients provided they meet specific provisions of transparency. The assembly also said, “Yes!” to encouraging Governor Linda Lingle to use some of the national economic stimulus funds to increase Medicaid reimbursements.

We thank HMSA for bringing their new on line doctor program. We had several folks who signed up for the program.

We are preparing for our Inter-Faith Worship Service scheduled for Wednesday, April 29 at 5:30 p.m. at Central Union Church. Hawaii is facing critical issues on health care including low Medicaid reimbursement, Quest Expanded Access (Medicaid for the Aged, Blind and Disabled), hospitals in financial crisis, and doctor shortages, especially in rural Oahu and our neighbor islands. Let us pray for the Healing of Hawaii.