Bill > SCR180

This Concurrent Resolution urges the Department of Human Services to assign two full-time employees to help migrants from the Freely Associated States, which are the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau, enroll in Medicaid. These migrants, referred to as COFA migrants, have special migration privileges to the United States due to international agreements called the Compacts of Free Association, which also involve the U.S. having military strategic rights in those nations. While these agreements allow COFA migrants to live and work in the U.S. indefinitely, they previously faced difficulties accessing health insurance, including Medicaid, due to changes in welfare laws. Although recent legislation has restored Medicaid eligibility for COFA migrants, the process of enrolling can be complex, and many in Hawaii have not yet enrolled, making this assistance crucial, especially given health disparities observed in the community.