Lingle pushes bill funding
children’s health coverage

The $6 million cost would be
drawn from the tobacco settlement

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By Helen Altonn
haltonn@starbulletin.com

Gov. Linda Lingle is seeking immediate legislative consideration and passage of a bill making an emergency appropriation of $6,259,886 to provide health-care coverage to children under age 19 who are eligible for state medical assistance.

She is asking that the money be given to the state Department of Human Services from Hawaii's tobacco settlement fund.

Steven Kawada, acting assistant administrator of the Med-Quest Division, which administers the government medical programs, said the tobacco money is available to use for children's health coverage, but some language in the law needs to be changed.

He said the money has not been used because the law is vague. People thought it was strictly for the Children's Health Insurance Program, he said.

Senate Bill 1354 makes the emergency appropriation and clarifies the law so the money can be used for all needy children, Kawada said.

The state can draw federal matching funds at 58.77 percent for the appropriation.

As of last November, 84,885 Hawaii children were enrolled in state medical programs, Kawada said.

Thousands of children who could qualify for coverage through Medicaid or CHIP still are believed to be without health insurance.