LT. GOVERNOR, DHS DIRECTOR ANNOUNCE $14.4 MILLION IN NEW FEDERAL FUNDING TO HELP HOSPITALS CARE FOR UNINSURED

For Immediate Release: March 11, 2009

HONOLULU – Lt. Governor James R. “Duke” Aiona, Jr. and Department of Human Services (DHS) Director Lillian Koller announced today that $14.4 million in new federal funding is being made available to Hawai‘i’s private and public hospitals to help defray the cost of caring for uninsured patients and other budget shortfalls.

DHS obtained these funds from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This money is not part of the federal stimulus package approved by Congress and signed by the President last month.

With this latest event, DHS has presented private and public hospitals with a total of about $100 million in additional funding since 2005. This includes $69.4 million in federal-only funds, plus another $31 million in federal and matching state funds through the federal Disproportionate Share Hospital program.

Prior to 2005, Hawai‘i hospitals had not received federal funds for charity care since 1994.

During a ceremony at the Healthcare Association of Hawai‘i headquarters in Honolulu, the Lt. Governor and Koller presented $7.5 million in cashable checks to 16 private hospitals statewide. DHS will provide another $6.9 million in federal funding throughout the year to Hawai‘i Health Systems Corporation (HHSC) public hospitals to help defray their costs.

“With state dollars in short supply due to the weakened national and global economy, this federal funding distributed by DHS takes on even greater importance,” Lt. Governor Aiona said. “These monies will help our private and public hospitals remain financially viable so they can provide quality health care for all Hawai‘i residents, regardless of their ability to pay.”

“While Hawai‘i is fortunate to have the highest percentage of insured residents in the nation,” Koller said, "we still have many thousands of people who lack coverage and therefore must rely on the vital services provided by our private and public hospitals.”

Private hospitals receiving federal monies are:
Castle Medical Center:                    $560,764
Hawai‘i Medical Center East:                   $570,294
Hawai‘i Medical Center West:                  $467,015
Kahi Mohala:                           $46,909
Kahuku Medical Center:                   $35,361
Kaiser Permanente Medical Center:              $295,691
Kapi‘olani Medical Center at Pali Momi:          $280,619
Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women and Children:     $1,091,049
Kuakini Medical Center:                   $183,685
Moloka‘i General Hospital:                  $49,043
North Hawai‘i Community Hospital:              $120,296
Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific:             $81,686
Straub Clinic and Hospital:                  $464,895
The Queen's Medical Center:                  $2,917,641
Wahiawa General Hospital:                  $154,621
Wilcox Memorial Hospital:                  $180,432

Total funding for private hospitals:                  $7.5 million  
Total funding for public hospitals through HHSC:  $6.9 million
Total funding for private and public hospitals   $14.4 million
distributed on March 11, 2009

   

For more information, contact:        
DHS Public Information Officer Toni Schwartz
Phone: 586-4882