SB1281 extends the sunset date of Act 107, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023, from December 31, 2025 to December 31, 2027. Act 107 authorizes reimbursement for certain health care services delivered through telehealth using an interactive telecommunications system, so this bill does not create a new telehealth program but keeps the existing reimbursement framework in place for two additional years.
The bill amends the repeal-and-reenactment clause in Act 107 and leaves the underlying telehealth-related statutes intact through the new sunset date. The affected provisions include sections of the Hawaii Revised Statutes governing telehealth reimbursement across different insurance and health coverage contexts, including health insurance, managed care, and related professional practice provisions. The act takes effect on July 1, 2025.
Impact
SB1281 delays the expiration of Hawaii’s current telehealth reimbursement authority, preserving coverage rules that allow providers to be paid for services delivered remotely through interactive telecommunications systems. By extending the sunset, the bill maintains the status quo for patients, providers, insurers, and health plans that rely on telehealth reimbursement under Act 107. It directly affects the reenactment timeline for HRS sections 346-59.1, 431:10A-116.3, 432:1-601.5, 432D-23.5, and 453-1.3.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support and little opposition in the available record. It passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee, and both conference committees unanimously or near-unanimously, all with amendments. The voting history suggests general agreement that telehealth reimbursement should continue beyond the original sunset date.
Contention
No major substantive controversy is reflected in the provided transcripts or votes. The only notable issue is the policy choice to extend a temporary telehealth reimbursement law rather than let it expire, which implies some legislative interest in continuing remote-care access and provider payment parity. Because all recorded votes were unanimous, any disagreement appears to have been resolved through amendments rather than open opposition.