Anyone in Hawaii who is covered by Medicaid, Medicare or TRICARE probably has a story about the difficulty of finding a physician who will take you as a patient.

There are many reasons cited by physicians for their reluctance: Paperwork requirements and inadequate compensation are two. A less-known factor is the state general excise tax (GET), which is levied every time a service is rendered by a private doctor or clinic to someone covered by these federal programs. Appropriately, it is illegal for providers to pass on this charge to their patients — but the tax remains a factor in the cost for medical care.

Senate Bill 1035 would exempt private medical providers from being hit with the GET every time they deliver a service to Medicare, Medicaid or TRICARE patients. Proponents of the bill say that removing this charge could mean more doctors accepting new patients covered by the plans. This may or may not be the result. But it would certainly remove an unfair burden on the doctors and clinics who currently serve our poor, elderly, disabled, and military men and women.

Kevin O’Leary

Kalihi Valley

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