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Schatz, Tokuda seek higher payments for physicians – West Hawaii Today

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Schatz, Tokuda seek higher payments for physicians – West Hawaii Today


U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, alongside Hawaii’s congressional delegation, on Thursday introduced legislation seeking higher Medicare reimbursements for the state’s health care providers.

The Protecting Access To Care in Hawaii Act — or PATCH Act — seeks a 24% increase, which would bring it in line with what Alaska gets, according to Schatz. He said it is key to helping the state retain and recruit doctors for a growing number of seniors.

The timing is more urgent than ever, he added, as Hawaii faces an increasingly acute provider shortage, especially on neighbor islands.

“As more people reach Medicare age in Hawaii, we are seeing fewer health care providers because of the rising operating and living costs in our state,” said Schatz. “Our bill would help fix that, boosting Medicare payments to providers and protecting health care access for the 300,000 seniors in Hawaii that rely on Medicare.”

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It is also a matter of fairness, according to Schatz.

Currently, Medicare physician payments per beneficiary in Hawaii are the lowest in the U.S, and reimbursement rates do not factor in Hawaii’s higher health care operating costs due to its geographic isolation.

The bill would revise a “work geographic index” to reflect those higher costs, and is basically seeking the same level of reimbursements as Alaska.

“In lots of other areas of federal reimbursement, there’s a recognition that Hawaii and Alaska are in a category of their own as it relates to costs that would better reflect our reality,” said Schatz.

U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, who introduced the companion House bill, said Hawaii consistently ranks among the healthiest states in the U.S., yet remains one of the worst states in which to practice medicine because of lower compensation and higher operating costs.

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“Especially on our Neighbor Islands, this is exacerbating the access to the health care crisis that exists, often making it difficult to recruit and retain physicians and to get patients the timely quality care they need,” Tokuda said in a statement. “My legislation would ensure Medicare reimbursements more accurately reflect the real cost to provide care in Hawaii so that we can keep more local doctors and attract new physicians to the state.”

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono said the low physician reimbursements in Hawaii add another obstacle to accessing and providing health care.

“I’m proud to support this legislation to help ensure that our physicians — and other health professionals — are being fairly compensated, while also expanding access to health care across the state,” she said.

U.S. Rep. Ed Case said medical practitioners have struggled for years to provide quality care while dealing with the mounting cost of doing business in Hawaii.

“This bill will help our health care providers focus on providing care through Medicare and spend less time worrying about inadequate reimbursement,” he said.

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Earlier this year, Sens. Schatz and Hirono also introduced a bill alongside their Alaska colleagues, seeking higher Medicare reimbursements for outpatient care from hospitals, including emergency room visits, for enrolled seniors in the two states.

In 2021, they also sought to boost Medicare reimbursements for nursing homes in Hawaii and Alaska through the bipartisan Equitable Payments for Nursing Facilities Act.

Those bills are still pending.

Hawaii has a shortage of about 800 full-time physicians, according to the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine.

Other efforts to address the doctor shortage include an educational loan reimbursement program for health care workers that commit to two years of service in Hawaii. The state Legislature also passed a bill this year exempting private health care providers from general excise taxes for services to patients with Medicaid, Medicare and TRICARE.

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“Everything costs more in Hawaii,” said Schatz, “and so the federal reimbursement has to reflect that, and that should go for nursing home care and Medicare services in clinics. We just have to be on an equal footing. Otherwise, we will have Medicare but really Medicare in name only because Medicare without providers is really nothing.”





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Hawaii Adopts Fines For Excise, Rental Tax Reporting Failures – Law360 Tax Authority

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Hawaii Adopts Fines For Excise, Rental Tax Reporting Failures – Law360 Tax Authority


By Zak Kostro · June 25, 2024, 6:57 PM EDT

Hawaii will impose fines for failures to comply with the reporting requirements of the state’s general excise tax and transient accommodations tax laws as part of a bill signed by the…

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California mother is arrested for confronting drag queens at Hawaii hotel over ‘inappropriate’ Pride show

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California mother is arrested for confronting drag queens at Hawaii hotel over ‘inappropriate’ Pride show


A University of California Davis employee was briefly detained after she was seen aggressively confronting drag performers at a resort in Hawaii.

Beth Bourne, a program director at UC Davis’ Institute of Transportation Studies, was filmed raging at drag queens after she spotted them at the Alohilani Resort in Waikīkī, where they were to perform for a pride event.

Bourne, who is a leader for the conservative group Moms for Liberty, became enraged after she spotted the drag queens in the lobby, and accused the hotel of failing to provide a safe environment for her son.

Beth Bourne, a program director at UC Davis’ Institute of Transportation Studies, was filmed raging at drag queens after she spotted them at the Alohilani Resort in Waikīkī

‘I’m sorry but I paid to be a customer at a hotel where I thought you believe that women were for real,’ the activist yelled as she held her phone up to record the drag queens.

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‘Because you put on make-up, you’re wearing high heels, you have a Barbie outfit on – you don’t think this is degrading.

She added: ‘This is misogyny… if you give me back my money right now, I will leave the hotel, but I’m not going to have my children come down from the 30th floor and see what’s happening here.’

Bourne then asked the performers their names, saying she wants to know who they are as a hotel employee attempts to escort her away.

‘Are you a man?’ she asked one of them. ‘What do you think about my son who might think that he can put on make-up and fancy clothing and high heels and have his penis cut off and take estrogen so he can grow fake boobs?’ 

One of the performers, who goes by Marina Del Rey, shared video of the incident on social media, saying Bourne attacked his group.

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One of the performers, who goes by Marina Del Rey, shared video of the incident on social media, saying Bourne attacked his group

One of the performers, who goes by Marina Del Rey, shared video of the incident on social media, saying Bourne attacked his group

He said on Instagram: ‘There was prior dialog from her ahead of what I filmed and ultimately she was taken off the property by the police.

‘I would like to say a huge THANK U to the resort for your care and concerns during and after, to all of us…. those within witness – guest or staff – many extended compassion of which I’m very very grateful…

‘We are all okay. A little shook & saddened but grateful to the people we were in the company of and everyone who reached out. and still keeping faith in humanity.’

Marina Del Rey explained the group was in the lobby to film a video that saw them playing roles as hotel staff.

‘This woman saw us filming and came to a slow burn and then she popped off. Her rant went on and on – possibly with the attempt to get a riled angered response,’ the performer added.

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Bourne became an anti-trans activist following the rupture of her relationship with her nonbinary eldest of two child

Bourne became an anti-trans activist following the rupture of her relationship with her nonbinary eldest of two child

DailyMail.com has reached out to UC Davis and the Alohilani Resort for comment on this story.

Many social media users have demanded that Bourne be fired from UC Davis following her recorded actions.

Elaine Vinton said on Facebook: ‘To all of my CA friends, I am urging you to contact UC Davis Human Resources, and lodge a complaint for their employment of Beth Bourne, the chairwoman of Moms For Liberty, Davis CA. 

‘She is harassing students and staff, quoting UC Davis’s practice of cutting of the penises of male children, among other practices. She is an unhinged bigot threatening the LGBTQ+ Community. Please make a call!’

Bourne is a controversial figure and claims without evidence on her social media accounts that ‘1/22 kids is trans’ at UC Davis.

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Responding to the video on X, Bourne wrote: ‘I am not okay with children being exposed to drag queens. 

The performers were at the hotel to participate in a brunch for Pride month

The performers were at the hotel to participate in a brunch for Pride month

‘Several other Alohilani hotel guests told me they also found it offensive so I spoke up to the manager yesterday. I was briefly detained by police, refunded my hotel charges, and have no regrets for speaking up. 

‘If we can be heard, this will end.’

Bourne became an anti-trans activist following the rupture of her relationship with her nonbinary eldest of two child.

Lily, 18, came out as nonbinary five years ago, moving out of Bourne’s home in their junior year of high school after clashes over their gender identity, as reported by The Sacramento Bee. 

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'Pirates Of The Caribbean' actor killed in Hawaii shark attack

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'Pirates Of The Caribbean' actor killed in Hawaii shark attack


A Hawaiian surfer who also acted on TV and in movies including Johnny Depp’s Pirates Of The Caribbean has died in a shark attack, authorities said.

Tamayo Perry, 49, died on Sunday at Malaekahana Beach on Oahu, moments after the encounter.

Perry played a buccaneer in the fourth installment of the popular swashbuckling franchise, Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

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He also appeared in the re-boot of Hawaii Five-O and in cult TV series Lost, which was largely filmed on the US archipelago, as well as in the 2002 surf movie Blue Crush.

In addition to his big and small screen appearances, Perry was a lifeguard and professional surfer who was well known in the local community.

In this undated image released by Christa Funk, shows well-known Hawaii lifeguard Tamayo Perry pipeline surfing. Photo: AP

Honolulu acting Ocean Safety chief Kurt Lager said as a lifeguard, Perry was “loved by all” on Oahu’s north shore.

“Tamayo’s personality was infectious, and as much as people loved him, he loved everyone else more,” he said.

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Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi told a press conference on Sunday that Perry’s death was “tragic.”

“Tamayo was a legendary waterman and highly respected. (He) grew up right over here, and just a great member of our ocean safety team.” – AFP



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