[§431N-1]  Findings and purpose. (a)  The legislature finds that despite the fact that Hawaii has the onlystatutorily mandated prepaid health care program in the country, as well as abroad-based medicaid program which provides an array of medical benefits toHawaii's lowest income level residents, there remain in the State uninsured"gap group individuals".  Available statistics consistently revealthat an estimated five per cent of the civilian population of this State, or50,000 individuals, lack any form of medical insurance whatsoever and aretherefore limited in access to medical care.

(b)  These "gap group individuals"are characterized by one or more of the following conditions or factorscontributing to lack of insurance or "medical indigency":

(1)  They have too much income or too many assets toqualify for medicaid, but too little to afford private insurance;

(2)  They do not qualify for prepaid health careinsurance coverage through employment;

(3)  They choose not to obtain health insurance; or

(4)  They are dependents, primarily children ofinsureds who are not covered by their parent's, guardian's, or spouse'spolicies.

(c)  The legislature further finds that it is amatter of compelling public interest to provide for the health and well- beingof all the people of this State.  This is also consistent with the healthprovisions of the Hawaii State Planning Act as set forth in section226-20(a)(1), which establish as an objective the "fulfillment of basicindividual health needs of the general public."  This objective isconstrued to include access to basic health insurance coverage.  To responsiblycarry out this objective, it is therefore appropriate that the legislature useinnovative means to ensure that all residents, regardless of age, income,employment status, or any other factor, have access to health insurancecoverage which will provide basic medical services necessary to sustain ahealthy life.

(d)  The purpose of this chapter is toestablish a program within the department of health, funded through legislativeappropriations, to ensure basic health insurance coverage is available forHawaii residents who are medically uninsured and who are defined in section431N-2 as "gap group individuals". [L 1989, c 378, pt of §1]