CONGRESS FOR VOTERS

DemocratBill · S. 1624· Senate(119-S-1624)

PATCH Act

Rep. Schatz
Age: 54 years
Hawaii
Introduced
5/6/2025
Last activity
5/6/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Sponsored by
Brian Schatz
Cosponsors
Democrat - 1Republican - 0
Health
  1. Introduced
  2. In Committee

What this bill would do

This bill is called the "Protecting Access To Care in Hawaii Act" or the "PATCH Act." It proposes to change the Social Security Act regarding how physicians' services are paid for in Hawaii. Specifically, it creates a minimum floor for the work geographic index. If the index for services in Hawaii is calculated to be less than 1.5, the Secretary must increase it to 1.5 starting January 1, 2026. This change will not be applied in a budget neutral manner.

Yes· 3 of 19

  • Would people over 65 be better off under this?+7

    Seniors are primary users of Medicare and will benefit most from increased provider availability in Hawaii.

  • Would retired people be better off under this?+7

    Retirees relying on Medicare will benefit from expanded physician access in Hawaii.

  • Does this make health care easier to get in general?+6

    By increasing physician reimbursement, the bill aims to attract and retain doctors in Hawaii, improving patient access to care.

The opposite

  • Does this reduce what the federal government spends?-3

    It explicitly increases payments to physicians in Hawaii.

  • Does this make the government pay for what it commits to?-3

    The provision specifically bypasses budget neutrality requirements.

  • Does this reduce what the federal government owes?-2

    The bill increases federal spending on physician payments without requiring budget neutrality.