Important Message from our Hawai'i ANA President on the Passage of HR1

The Hawaiʻi-American Nurses Association (Hawaiʻi-ANA), alongside U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz, Representatives Ed Case and Jill Tokuda, and Governor Josh Green, expresses grave concern over the passage of H.R. 1 and its far-reaching consequences for healthcare in Hawaiʻi.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has warned that H.R. 1 would result in deep federal funding cuts that threaten the very foundation of our healthcare system. In Hawaiʻi, where many communities rely on rural hospitals, community health centers, and outpatient providers, these cuts would drastically reduce access to care—particularly for those who are most vulnerable.

Without adequate funding, our health infrastructure will erode. Patients will delay care until conditions become critical, leading to avoidable complications, increased hospitalizations, and unnecessary loss of life. These impacts will fall hardest on families, kūpuna (elders), keiki (children), and individuals in rural and underserved areas who rely heavily on Medicaid.

As nurses, we see firsthand how essential Medicaid is in delivering timely, life-saving care. The cuts proposed in H.R. 1 will worsen staffing shortages, reduce access to essential services, and destabilize care delivery systems for years to come.

Hawaiʻi-ANA remains committed to advocating for equitable healthcare access, holding policymakers accountable, and safeguarding the health of our communities. Nurses are the frontline of care and the most trusted professionals in America. We will continue to speak out—firmly and clearly—on behalf of our patients and the future of healthcare in Hawaiʻi and across the nation.

Denise Cohen, PhD, RN, APRN, FNP-BC

President, Hawaiʻi-American Nurses Association