HawaiiCertified care homes may not deny eligible residents over Medicaid waivers
Eligible people with disabilities could live in certified care homes despite their Medicaid waiver, while the department would help coordinate placements.
What it does
Certified care homes may not deny people who need nursing or intermediate care solely because of a disability or enrollment in either named Medicaid waiver.
A certified caregiver may serve residents under either Medicaid waiver, but each resident must use only one waiver and receive services under its rules.
The department must help agencies and home operators place people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, coordinate with Med-QUEST, and issue guidance.
Argument forEligible people with disabilities could choose a certified care home without being turned away solely because of their waiver enrollment.
Argument againstRequiring each resident to use only one waiver could limit how a caregiver coordinates services when residents have different needs.
More detail
A certified community care foster family home may not deny residency solely because of a person's disability or enrollment in either named Medicaid waiver. This applies to people who meet an intermediate care facility or nursing facility level of care. The person must meet an intermediate care facility or nursing facility level of care and qualify for services under the 1915(c) Medicaid waiver or the section 1115 demonstration waiver. This bars denial solely for disability status or waiver enrollment; it does not guarantee admission for other reasons. The Act takes effect upon approval.
A certified caregiver may serve as a provider under either named Medicaid waiver, while each resident must be enrolled in only one waiver. This applies to certified caregivers serving residents of community care foster family homes under the 1915(c) or section 1115 Medicaid waiver. Each resident must receive services under the rules and requirements of that resident's waiver. The Act takes effect upon approval.
The department shall provide placement support and training, consult with Med-QUEST, and issue guidance to case management agencies and home operators. The support concerns placing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in community care foster family homes. The department must work with case management agencies, licensing entities, and Medicaid programs. It must consult Med-QUEST on waiver language, provider qualifications, and payment models. The Act takes effect upon approval; the text sets no separate deadline for this work.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jul 7Act 199, 07/07/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1301).Latest
- Jul 7Act 199, on 07/07/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1301).Became Law
- May 8Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).Minor
- May 8Enrolled to Governor.To Governor
- May 6Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.Major
- Vote recorded Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1. Result: pass.Lower
- May 6Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).Major
- May 6Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).Minor
- May 1Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 152-26).
- May 148 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26.
- May 1Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 152-26) as amended in (CD 1).
- May 1Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
- Apr 30The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Rhoads, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 30The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Marten, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Alcos; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Apr 28Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Thursday 04-30-26 3:15PM in conference room 329.
- Apr 24Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Tuesday, 04-28-26 3:15PM in conference room 329.
- Apr 22Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 720).Minor
- Apr 21House Conferees Appointed: Takayama, Marten, Keohokapu-Lee Loy Co-Chairs; Alcos.
- Apr 21Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 800).Minor
- Apr 21Senate Conferees Appointed: San Buenaventura Chair; Rhoads Co-Chair; Fevella.
- Apr 16Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 645).Minor
- Apr 16Senate disagrees with House amendments.Minor
- Apr 16Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710).Minor
- Apr 14Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.Passed House
- Vote recorded Passed Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 10Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2091-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
- Apr 8The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 6Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Wednesday, 04-08-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Mar 30Reported from HLT/HSH (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1501-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
- Vote recorded Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 30Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).Minor
- Mar 25The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Amato, Hartsfield, Marten, Olds, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 25The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Olds, Amato, Hartsfield, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Takayama, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.Minor
- Mar 20Bill scheduled to be heard by HLT/HSH on Wednesday, 03-25-26 9:30AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Mar 12Pass First ReadingMinor
- Mar 12Referred to HLT/HSH, FIN, referral sheet 17Minor
- Mar 10Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 10Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 213) in amended form (SD 2).Minor
- Mar 6Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3092) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).
- Mar 648 Hrs. Notice 03-10-26.
- Feb 27The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 23The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-27-26 10:30AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
- Feb 19Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2421) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
- Feb 19Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.Minor
- Feb 13The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, McKelvey, Kanuha, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 11The committee(s) on HHS deferred the measure until 02-13-26 1:05PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.Minor
- Feb 6The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 02-11-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
- Jan 26Referred to HHS, JDC.Minor
- Jan 21Introduced and passed First Reading.Minor
- Jan 15Pending Introduction.Introduced
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