SCR 216: urging the department of human services to increase reimbursement rates to primary care physicians FOR services to med-quest recipients.

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

urging the department of human services to increase reimbursement rates to primary care physicians FOR services to med-quest recipients.

     WHEREAS, current baseline reimbursements in commercial health insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare plans are low and offer no cost of living increases or overhead reimbursements for physicians; and

     WHEREAS, in addition, these plans offer no increase in reimbursement rates to reflect years of experience, as is common in other fields; and

     WHEREAS, without adequate reimbursement rates, physicians may struggle to maintain a financially viable practice or may refuse to provide care altogether to patients utilizing those plans; and

     WHEREAS, many physicians are opting out of private practice and currently, ten per cent of physicians in Hawaii are in private practice, while ten years ago seventy-five per cent were in private practice; and

     WHEREAS, increasing reimbursement rates will help ensure that primary care physicians who provide services to med-QUEST recipients can continue to serve this population without experiencing a loss of revenue; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Human Services is urged to increase reimbursement rates to primary care physicians for services to med-QUEST recipients; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of  Human Services.

Report Title: 

Department of Human Services; Primary Care Physicians; Med-QUEST Reimbursements