SUPPORTING THE REACTIVATION OF THE HAWAII HEALTH AUTHORITY WITH STATUTORY MANDATES THAT SPECIFICALLY INCLUDE THE TRANSITION OF THE STATE'S HEALTH INSURANCE PAYMENT SYSTEM INTO A SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.

SR 161 is a non-binding Senate Resolution (not a bill) passed by Hawaii's 2025 Legislature. It expresses support for reactivating the dormant Hawaii Health Authority (HHA), established by Act 11 in 2009, with a specific goal to transition the state's health insurance system toward a single-payer model. The resolution highlights potential savings from reduced administrative costs (estimated at 15% for hospitals and providers) and suggests these savings could fund community programs or address physician shortages. It emphasizes this transition would occur only after securing federal waivers and exhausting existing Medicaid/Medicare funding, but does not create new laws or immediate policy changes.