HI SR161

Urges the Department of Human Services to create a Compact of Free Association (COFA) Advisory Body with at least one-third of members being COFA residents to address inequities faced by residents from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Republic of Palau.

Requires the Advisory Body to recommend approaches for providing parity in state-funded health coverage for eligible COFA residents, conduct economic analysis, and reduce administrative burdens for program enrollment and re-enrollment.

Directs the Advisory Body to recommend community outreach strategies, assess implementation at 6, 12, and 24 months, evaluate current data collection practices, and review outcomes from the 2007 COFA Task Force.

Establishes that recommendations must ensure state-funded health coverage equal to or exceeding Med-QUEST coverage, eliminate copayments and upfront fees, and align eligibility with federal and state requirements while prioritizing participant access and cost over state cost-effectiveness.

Approximately 18,000 COFA residents legally reside in Hawaii (1.3 percent of the state population), face denial of essential benefits available to U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents, and have among the highest per capita military service rates.