Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Protecting Access To Care in Hawaii Act” or the “PATCH Act”.
Protecting Access To Care in Hawaii Act
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a floor on the work geographic index for physicians’ services furnished in Hawaii.
Sec. 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—
in paragraph (1)(A), in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking “and (I)” and inserting “(I), and (J)”; and
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.”