119 HR 3263 IH: Protecting Access To Care in Hawaii Act U.S. House of Representatives 2025-05-07 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I119th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 3263IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESMay 7, 2025Ms. Tokuda (for herself and Mr. Case) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concernedA BILLTo amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a floor on the work geographic index for physicians’ services furnished in Hawaii.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Protecting Access To Care in Hawaii Act or the PATCH Act.

2.

Floor on work geographic index for physicians' services furnished in Hawaii

Section 1848(e) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–4(e)) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1)(A), in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking and (I) and inserting (I), and (J); and (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (J)

Floor on work geographic index for services furnished in Hawaii

For purposes of payment for services furnished in Hawaii on or after January 1, 2026, after calculating the work geographic index in subparagraph (A)(iii), the Secretary shall increase the work geographic index to 1.5 if such index would otherwise be less than 1.5. The preceding sentence shall not be applied in a budget neutral manner. .