The departments of Health and Human Services and the Treasury Friday granted Hawaii the first State Innovation Waiver under Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act. Section 1332 allows the federal agencies to waive specific ACA provisions for states if the proposal would provide similar coverage to a comparable number of residents and not increase the federal deficit, among other requirements. Hawaii’s five-year waiver frees the state from the requirement to operate a Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP), allowing the tax credit amounts that would be paid to small employers through a SHOP to support a fund that helps small businesses cover their health care costs. Section 1332 waivers became available Jan. 1. For more on Section 1332 and the Hawaii waiver, visit www.cms.gov

Related News Articles

Headline
The AHA July 8 wrote in opposition to the “Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act” (H.R. 4002), which would repeal current law banning the creation…
Headline
President Trump July 7 issued an executive order, “Extending the Modification of the Reciprocal Tariff Rates,” which extends the original July 9 reciprocal…
Headline
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention July 7 announced it is streamlining H5N1 bird flu updates with its routine influenza data given the low public…
Headline
A study published July 7 by JAMA found children’s health has significantly worsened from 2007 to 2023. Researchers studied changes in child mortality; chronic…
Headline
The AHA encourages hospitals and health systems that are committed to leadership and innovation in improving quality and advancing health to apply for its 2026…
Headline
The National Institutes of Health July 3 announced that all NIH-funded research published in scientific journals must be made publicly accessible immediately…