HI HCR174

Urges Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, private health insurers, and private health providers to adopt principles and health care guidelines from the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care.

Recognizes that the Dartmouth Atlas has documented variations in medical resource distribution and use across the United States for more than 20 years using Medicare data.

Highlights that supply-sensitive care patterns account for more than half of Medicare spending and that high-resource, high-spending regions do not produce better patient outcomes or satisfaction than lower-spending regions.

Notes that research from the Dartmouth Atlas demonstrates patients in high-spending regions receive worse care and report lower satisfaction despite greater resource availability, while overall mortality rates are not improved.

Requires transmitting certified copies of the resolution to federal officials, state representatives, and major Hawaii-based health insurance companies and health plans.