Molokai Hospital Gets $31,339 to Defray Uninsured Costs

By Wendy Osher

The funding was made possible from the Congressional Disproportionate Share Hospital program, a federal initiative supported by US Senator Daniel K. Akaka of Hawaii. US Senator Daniel Akaka, photo by Wendy Osher.

Molokai General Hospital is one of 15 private hospitals across the state that received federal funds to help defray the cost of providing charity care to uninsured and under-insured patients.

The Molokai facility receives $31,339, a portion of the larger $9.1 million appropriation distributed by the state Department of Human Services (DHS) today.

The funding was made possible from the Congressional Disproportionate Share Hospital program, a federal initiative supported by US Senator Daniel K. Akaka of Hawaii.

“I am so pleased to see the results of my efforts to include a permanent restoration of Hawaii’s Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital allotment in the Affordable Care Act,” said Sen. Akaka.

“The stability provided in the health care reform bill and the matching funds released by the state today are critical to supporting our hospitals that care for significant numbers of Medicaid and uninsured patients,” he said.

DHS Director, Patricia McManaman said the funding will help Hawaii’s private hospitals, which play a vital role in maintaining the health care safety net for uninsured and underinsured residents.

“By securing and distributing these federal funds, these hospitals can continue serving everyone – regardless of their ability to pay. Maintaining a viable safety net is part of our administration’s commitment to investing in all of Hawaii’s people,” said McManaman.

Other hospitals receiving funds through the appropriation include:  Castle Medical Center $509,490;  Kahi Mohala $163,125; Kaiser Foundation Hospital $610,382; Hawaii Pacific Health – Pali Momi $421,724; Hawaii Pacific Health – Kapiolani $1,575,972; Kuakini Medical Center $362,169; North Hawai‘i Community Hospital $153,499; Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific $106,229; Hawaii Pacific Health – Straub $769,239; The Queen’s Medical Center $3,905,011; Wahiawa General Hospital $223,482; and Hawaii Pacific Health – Wilcox Memorial Hospital $280,420.