Released by the State of Hawaii Department of Human Services:

HONOLULU - U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka, Lt. Governor James R. "Duke" Aiona, Jr. and Department of Human Services (DHS) Director Lillian Koller distributed nearly $17.7 million to Hawai`i's private hospitals today to help with the cost of providing charity care for uninsured patients.  The check presentation ceremony took place at the Healthcare Association of Hawai`i headquarters in Honolulu.

The money includes $10 million in federal funding obtained by Senator Akaka from the Disproportionate Share Hospital payment program. The $7,699,115 in matching state funds were recently released by Governor Linda Lingle after DHS obtained the required approvals from the Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

"Hospitals in Hawaii are struggling to care for the increasing number of people without access to health insurance," Sen, Akaka said.  "I am proud that we have secured this funding to help Hawaii hospitals meet the rising health care needs of our communities. These resources will reinforce our public health system in Hawaii."

"Our hospitals must remain financially viable to continue providing quality care for all our residents," Lt. Governor Aiona said. "These funds represent another step forward in our Administration's ongoing commitment to provide uninsured residents with access to quality healthcare, regardless of their ability to pay."

"During a time of rising healthcare costs, this combination of federal and state funding will help our private hospitals continue to provide quality services for Hawai`i residents," Koller said. "We are very grateful to Senator Akaka, Governor Lingle, Lt. Governor Aiona and the Legislature for their support."

This latest funding for hospitals is in addition to about $175 million in Federal dollars DHS has secured from CMS since 2005 to help public and private hospitals provide charity care to uninsured patients.  Prior to 2005, Hawai`i hospitals had not received federal funds for charity care since 1994.

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