HI HB2533

Appropriates $150,000 from general revenues for fiscal year 2017-2018 to the department of health for contracting services to review, certify, and recertify dialysis centers.

Addresses the certification bottleneck that currently takes nearly three years to complete due to insufficient funding and personnel shortage in the department of health.

Finds that 168,000 Hawaii residents suffer from chronic kidney disease, with approximately 4,000 patients requiring dialysis treatment three times per week.

Notes that new dialysis centers cannot receive reimbursement for Medicare and Medicaid patients (85 percent of Hawaii's dialysis population) without department certification, creating an artificial shortage of available centers.

Takes effect upon approval and is recommended by the governor for immediate passage.