WHAT PEOPLE IN HAWAII ARE SAYING ABOUT SENATOR HIRONO GETTING MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY FOR COMPACT MIGRANTS INCLUDED IN IMMIGRATION REFORM LEGISLATION

Here’s what folks in Hawaii are saying about Mazie Hirono getting Medicaid eligibility for migrants from Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands included in immigration reform legislation:

• “The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Tuesday to reinstate eligibility by adopting an amendment from U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono. The Democrat from Hawaii says the move will save the state millions of dollars each year.” (Associated Press)

• “Restoring their Medicaid eligibility would ease that financial burden on Hawaii, and has been a priority of Hawaii leaders for more than a decade, Hirono said in a statement. It was most recently addressed in a bill introduced by former Sen. Daniel Akaka in 2011, the statement said.” (Big Island Now)

• “… for a freshman senator like Hirono to get four amendments through is no small feat.” (Civil Beat)

• “A spokeswoman for Gov. Neil Abercrombie said he was pleased that Sen. Hirono brought this issue to the table.” (Civil Beat)

• “Senator Brian Schatz praised Hirono for passing the medicaid amendment.  ‘Congratulations to Senator Hirono for making real progress on ensuring that Compact migrants have access to Medicaid,’ said Senator Brian Schatz. ‘This has been a long-standing challenge for the Hawaii delegation and for the state of Hawaii's finances.’” (Hawaii News Now)

• “Getting more reimbursements for the costs has been a high priority for Hawaii’s congressional delegations for years. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa last year introduced a measure that would have increased federal reimbursement for the Microneaseans to Hawaii, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa.” (Civil Beat)