Tuesday, December 24, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Thursday, April 21, 2011
GOP: Legislature putting Prepaid Health Care Act at risk
By News Release @ 2:36 PM :: 9899 Views :: Energy, Environment, National News, Ethics

REPUBLICANS VOTE TO PROTECT HEALTH CARE FOR HAWAII'S PEOPLE

News Release from House Republican Caucus

Honolulu – The eight members of the House Republican Caucus voted to protect the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act that provides health care for nearly 90% of the workers in the State of Hawaii.

"The Prepaid Health Care Act passed in 1973 is superior to the federal healthcare bill and the Majority party authors of HB 1134 HD1 SD2 admit this." House Republican Leader Gene Ward of Hawaii Kai pointed out.  "This bill, passed by the House yesterday, will jeopardize the superior Hawaii healthcare by repealing a portion of the 1973 law, subjecting Hawaii's program to a potential legal challenge."

"The Attorney General also continues to have doubts about this bill," Rep. Cynthia Thielen of Kailua reaffirmed. "As recently as March 2nd the Attorney General reminded the Legislature that the proposed repeal of Part V of the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act would likely be preempted by the Employee Retirement Income and Security Act, known as ERISA."

Under the Hawaii Prepaid Healthcare Act of 1973 employers are obligated to provide healthcare insurance for their employees who work more than 20 hours per week for four consecutive weeks.  The ERISA Federal law of 1974 clearly stated that if Hawaii changed its health insurance law in any substantive manner, such as what is being proposed in HB 1134, then the Federal law would take over and Hawaii's health care program would no longer be in effect.

"The Hawaii Congressional delegation said that the Federal law would not jeopardize Hawaii's health insurance system, despite language in the federal law," Rep. Marumoto of Kaimuki, Waialae and Kahala noted.  Rep. Marumoto also pointed out that Hawaii's Department of Labor warned that changes to our health care law would be subject to an ERISA pre-emption.

The eight members of the House Republican Caucus joined with concerned Democrats in calling for a delay of this legislation.

###

Now why would the Legislature put the Prepaid Healthcare Act at risk?  >>> Health Insurance? No need: Abercrombie promises to dump Prepaid Health Care Act

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii