Schatz, Hirono, introduce bill to increase Medicare reimbursement for Hawai‘i hospitals

Hawai‘i’s Senate delegation introduced legislation to increase the amount hospitals in the state and Alaska can be reimbursed by Medicare to perform outpatient care, such as emergency department visits and imaging services for enrolled seniors.

Historically, rural states have faced significant cost disparities for Medicare reimbursement that drive up costs for both hospitals and patients. This legislation would recognize the cost-of-living challenges that hospitals in Hawai‘i and Alaska face and would increase reimbursement for hospitals in both states to ensure that they can continue to serve seniors.

“To make sure hospitals in communities across Hawai‘i can continue to serve the seniors that rely on them, Medicare must recognize the real cost of providing health care in our state,” said Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i). “Our bill will help boost reimbursements to providers in Hawai‘i and make sure seniors have access to the health care services they deserve.”

“Hawai‘i’s unique geography and high cost of living makes accessing and providing health care more difficult, which is why hospitals in Hawai‘i have long received higher Medicare reimbursement for inpatient care than those in other states,” said Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai‘i). “This bill would similarly raise outpatient Medicare reimbursements in Hawai‘i, helping to ensure our hospitals—especially on neighbor islands—have the resources they need to provide outpatient care for our communities.”

The full text of the bill is available here.