Bill > HB1115

This bill establishes a Universal Immunization Funding Program administered by Hawaii's Department of Health to purchase and distribute immunizations at no cost to healthcare providers. The program will be funded through assessments on health insurers, health maintenance organizations, and other health cost-sharing programs, calculated based on the number of child and adult covered lives. The bill creates a special fund in the state treasury to collect these assessments, which will be used to purchase immunizations for individuals not eligible to receive them through other existing programs. The assessment rates will be determined annually by the director of health, taking into account estimated immunization costs, operating expenses, and a reserve fund. Healthcare providers will be required to report immunization data to the Hawaii Immunization Registry, and entities that fail to comply with reporting or assessment requirements may face fines up to $1,000 per offense. The program aims to ensure broader access to immunizations by allowing state health officials to manage vaccine supply, potentially lowering healthcare providers' administrative costs and ensuring quick vaccine distribution during emergencies or shortages. The bill is modeled after similar "Universal Purchase" programs already implemented in fourteen other states and seeks to improve public health vaccination coverage.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1115&year=2026