SUPPORTING THE REACTIVATION OF, AND URGING THE GOVERNOR TO APPOINT MEMBERS TO, THE HAWAII HEALTH AUTHORITY TO PLAN FOR A TRANSITION TO A MAXIMALLY COST-EFFECTIVE SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH CARE SYSTEM FOR THE STATE, TO BE IMPLEMENTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER WAIVERS HAVE BEEN OBTAINED TO CAPTURE ALL MAJOR SOURCES OF FEDERAL FUNDING FLOWING TO THE STATE THROUGH MEDICARE, MEDICAID, AND TRICARE.

This House Resolution (HR 172) urges Hawaii's Governor to appoint members to the inactive Hawaii Health Authority to plan for transitioning to a state-run, single-payer health care system. The resolution directs the Authority to develop a plan for implementation after securing federal waivers to access Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare funding, aiming to reduce administrative costs (estimated at 15% in hospitals and provider billing) that currently consume significant state health spending. If successful, the plan could lower overall state health care costs by up to 30%, freeing budget resources for community programs and improving pay for primary care doctors to address physician shortages. The Authority must submit a progress report to the Legislature by early 2026.