Bill · H.R. 3263· House(119-HR-3263)
PATCH Act
- Introduced
- 5/7/2025
- Last activity
- 5/7/2025 — Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Sponsored by
- Jill Tokuda
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is called the "Protecting Access To Care in Hawaii Act" or the "PATCH Act." It aims to change the Social Security Act to set a minimum value for the work geographic index for physician services in Hawaii. Starting January 1, 2026, the Secretary must increase this index to 1.5 if the calculated value is lower. This change will not be applied in a budget neutral manner.
Yes· 3 of 31
Would people over 65 be better off under this?+8
Seniors rely heavily on Medicare and will benefit from improved physician availability in Hawaii.
Would retired people be better off under this?+8
Retirees, predominantly using Medicare, will benefit from better physician access in Hawaii.
Does this make health care easier to get in general?+7
Establishing a payment floor incentivizes physicians to provide services in Hawaii, improving patient access.
The opposite
Does this reduce what the federal government owes?-2
The bill explicitly states the increase will not be budget neutral, potentially increasing government spending.
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?-2
Increasing the payment floor for physicians will likely increase Medicare expenditures.
Does this make the government pay for what it commits to?-2
The lack of a budget-neutral requirement indicates an increase in deficit spending.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Increased Index Floor: Section 2 establishes a floor of 1.5 for the work geographic index for services in Hawaii. This ensures the index does not fall below that specific number for payments.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Budget Impact: Section 2 states that the increase to the work geographic index "shall not be applied in a budget neutral manner," which means it may affect government spending.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Retirees+8Good For Seniors+8Good For Business Owners+5Good For Rural Residents+5Good For Low Income Households+4Good For People With Disabilities+4Good For Asian Americans+3Good For Middle Class Households+3Good For Native Americans+3Good For Urban Residents+3Good For Children+2Good For Farmers+2Good For High Income Households+2Good For Men+2Good For Middle Aged+2Good For Veterans+2Good For Women+2Good For Young Adults+2Good For African Americans+1Good For Hispanic Americans+1Good For Immigrants+1Good For L G B T Q Community+1Good For Students+1Good For White Americans+1
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+7Increases Medicare Funding+5Improves Mental Health Access+1
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Rural Development+3
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Small Business Support+3Increases Job Creation+2Improves Economic Growth+1Improves Fiscal Responsibility-2Reduces Government Spending-2Reduces National Debt-2
- 5/7/2025
- Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Ed CaseDemocrat · Hawaii