Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, MD, has allocated over $74 million for healthcare in his additional budget requests to the state legislature.
The proposed budget seeks $25 million in fiscal year 2024 and $20 million in fiscal year 2025 with the goal of increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates up to 100 percent of Medicare, according to a Feb. 13 release.
The state funds would increase access to care for Medicaid patients in Hawaii and bring in $42 million in federal funds per fiscal year, the release said.
Other healthcare funding proposals in the budget include $12.3 million to the department of health for mental health treatment and $5 million to establish a facility at Hawaii State Hospital with secure and semi-secure beds for behavioral health patients.