Bill > S1624

This bill, known as the PATCH Act (Protecting Access To Care in Hawaii Act), aims to modify the Medicare payment system for physicians' services specifically in Hawaii by establishing a minimum work geographic index (WGI). The WGI is a factor used to adjust physician reimbursement rates based on geographical variations in practice costs. Currently, Medicare calculates physician payments using a complex formula that includes regional cost differences. Under this bill, starting January 1, 2026, if the calculated work geographic index for services in Hawaii would be less than 1.5, the Secretary of Health and Human Services must increase the index to 1.5. Importantly, this adjustment will not be implemented in a budget-neutral manner, meaning the increased payments will not be offset by reductions elsewhere in the Medicare system. The primary goal appears to be ensuring that physicians in Hawaii receive more equitable compensation by providing a guaranteed minimum payment adjustment that reflects the higher costs of practicing medicine in the state.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1624/all-info