H.B. 475 Summary

• Requires Hawaii's Medicaid programs to provide coverage for ambulance services beginning January 1, 2022, and authorizes optional coverage of statewide community paramedicine services by emergency medical technicians or paramedics.

• Mandates that all individual and group accident and health insurance policies issued or renewed in Hawaii on or after January 1, 2022, cover ambulance services and statewide services provided by emergency medical technicians or paramedics.

• Requires hospital and medical service plans to provide coverage for ambulance services and statewide community paramedicine services for contracts issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2022.

• Appropriates general revenue funds for fiscal years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 to cover collectively bargained personnel costs and other expenses arising from the Medicaid ambulance services coverage requirement.

• Effective date is July 1, 2022.