HI SR173

Urges the Department of Human Services to designate 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees to assist Compact of Free Association (COFA) migrants in enrolling in Medicaid

Requires the designated employees to establish and implement an outreach program informing Hawaii's COFA community about Medicaid eligibility criteria and the enrollment process

Addresses that COFA migrants from the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau regained Medicaid eligibility as of December 27, 2020, following the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021

Notes that many COFA migrants in Hawaii have chronic diseases related to nuclear testing conducted by the United States between 1946-1958, making health insurance coverage essential

Directs that a certified copy of the resolution be transmitted to the Director of Human Services