Hawaii SB 330: Earned Income Disregard Program

“Kal’s Law” A Bill for An Act Relating to An Earned Income Disregard Program

“According to the Medicaid buy-in task force, Hawaii is one of four remaining states in the United States that has not adopted this group coverage for working people with disabilities; the other three states are Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee. Persons with disabilities regularly report to case workers that they cannot accept work opportunities because they would lose their benefits. A Medicaid buy-in program would allow working people with disabilities to retain the medical coverage they need, as primary or secondary coverage, by paying premiums on a sliding scale, as defined by the state and federal government. While the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act guarantees private health insurance to employees who work twenty hours or more a week for four consecutive weeks, the Prepaid Health Care Act may not meet the needs of working people with disabilities who are unable to work the minimum required twenty hours per week. Of those who do work the minimum hours to qualify for the Prepaid Health Care Act, many still need to retain their Medicaid coverage as secondary coverage to access home and community-based services,”