Early agreements include funds for Medicaid
increases, telehealth, housing
Honolulu, Hawaii – House and Senate conferees began negotiations
today on a final version of HB100 HD1 SD1, the state budget bill. Early agreement on a number of budget items
included $48 million for Medicaid capitation payment increases, $300,000 for a
statewide telehealth pilot project, and $600,000 for clean and sober housing
for chronically homeless people over the fiscal biennium.
Legislators also recognized
the importance and effectiveness of the rapid re-housing program and increased
Gov. David Ige’s request of $2.5 million by half a million dollars for a total
of $3 million for fiscal year 2018.
See Flickr photos of committee meeting:
Earlier in the
session, the House Finance Committee and the Senate Ways and Means Committee
crafted their respective versions of the budget.
Lawmakers will
continue to meet to iron out differences between the two versions through April
28, the deadline for all fiscal bills to pass out of conference committee. A final conference draft will then be voted
upon by the Legislature and if approved, will be sent to the Governor for his
signature.
With current
economic predictions showing state income to be sluggish, lawmakers are being
very careful with taxpayer money, said Rep. Sylvia Luke (Dist. 25 - Makiki,
Punchbowl, Nuuanu, Dowsett Highlands, Pacific Heights, Pauoa), House Finance
Committee Chair.
“We are looking to
provide a budget that takes care of the basic programs we have in place, but
does not spend more than necessary,” Luke said. “That is why we require all
state departments and programs to be accountable for exactly what they spend
and the services they provide.”
In December, the Ige
Administration proposed a $14.2 billion budget for fiscal year 2018 and $14.3
billion for fiscal year 2019. The administration has made some changes since
then.
“We are continuing to take a fiscally responsible approach to provide the
priority needs for our community while ensuring the financial stability of our state’s
resources and long term obligations,” said Senator Jill Tokuda (Dist. 24 - Kaneohe,
Kaneohe MCAB, Kailua, Heeia, Ahuimanu), chair of the Senate committee on Ways
and Means. “This means doing more with less and targeting funding towards
those things that are both critically important and will sustain and grow our
economy.”
Among the budget
items agreed upon to date were:
·
$6.5
million in each fiscal year for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Administration, Primary Prevention and Chronic Disease Management
·
$2.1
million in each fiscal year to support state family and elderly housing
facilities in both years
·
$3
million in FY18 for the rapid re-housing program
·
$9.1
million in FY18 and $39.3 in FY19 for Medicaid capitation payment increases
·
$3.3
million in FY18 for housing inmates in a non-state facility during renovation
of the Halawa Correctional Facility
·
$2.9
million in both years for Medicare part B premium payments
·
$300,000
in each fiscal year for clean and sober housing for chronically homeless
individuals with severe substance abuse disorders
·
$2.7
million in FY18 to rebase provider rates for home and community based services
·
$150,000
in each fiscal year for a statewide telehealth pilot project
·
$3
million in each fiscal year for maintenance of effort for maternal infant early
childhood home visiting grant
Budget worksheets
detailing agreements and disagreements in the state, judiciary, and Office of
Hawaiian Affairs budget bills are available on the Capitol website at http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/budget/2017budget.aspx
The conference
committee will reconvene on Thursday, April 20, at 2 p.m. in room 309.
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