Daniel Akaka: “I support the Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP Extension Act of 2007. I appreciate the hard work and leadership of Senators…”

“I support the Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP Extension Act of 2007. I appreciate the hard work and leadership of Senators Baucus and Grassley in putting together this important legislation that will improve Medicare reimbursements, extend the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and extend other important Medicare and Medicaid policies. In addition, this legislation includes a provision that extends Medicaid disproportionate share hospital, DSH, allotments for Hawaii and Tennessee for another 6 months. Medicaid DSH resources help support hospitals that care for significant numbers of Medicaid and uninsured patients. Hawaii and Tennessee are the only two States that do not have permanent DSH allotments. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 created specific DSH allotments for each State based on their actual DSH expenditures for fiscal year 1995. In 1994, Hawaii implemented the QUEST demonstration program that was designed to reduce the number of uninsured and improve access to health care. The prior Medicaid DSH program was incorporated into QUEST. As a result of the demonstration program, Hawaii did not have DSH expenditures in 1995 and was not provided a DSH allotment.”