2026 Hawaii State of Reform Health Policy Conference

Details coming soon.

Through the Rural Health Transformation Grant, Hawaii is investing in innovative strategies to strengthen care delivery, expand telehealth services, and build sustainable, community-based health systems that meet local needs. This panel will bring together healthcare leaders, rural providers, and policymakers to discuss how the grant is driving collaboration across sectors, supporting workforce development, and improving health outcomes for residents statewide. Attendees will gain insights into the progress, lessons learned, and future opportunities shaping the transformation of rural healthcare in Hawaii.

Hawaii has made important strides in addressing its healthcare workforce shortages, but significant challenges remain in ensuring access to care across all islands and communities. This panel will explore the progress made so far in strengthening the state’s healthcare workforce, including successful recruitment and training initiatives, education and policy efforts, and innovative partnerships. Looking ahead, the discussion will focus on what future strategies are needed to build a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable healthcare workforce for Hawaii.

This panel will explore how Hawaii is addressing the social determinants of health—such as housing, education, transportation, food security, and economic stability—as essential components of overall well-being. With a growing recognition that health outcomes are shaped more by environment and circumstance than clinical care alone, state and community leaders are working to integrate social services and health care in more coordinated, culturally grounded ways. Panelists will discuss innovative approaches to service delivery, cross-sector partnerships, and data sharing that aim to break down silos and better meet community needs.

This panel will delve into the implications of proposed or implemented Medicaid work requirements and how such policies could impact Hawaiʻi’s healthcare system and vulnerable populations. While proponents argue that work requirements encourage employment and self-sufficiency, critics warn they may create barriers to care, especially for individuals already facing economic hardship, unstable housing, or chronic health conditions. Panelists will explore the unique context of Hawaiʻi, including its cost of living, workforce challenges, and the potential disproportionate effects on Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities.

Hospitals across Hawaii face growing challenges discharging patients with complex medical, behavioral health, or social needs when appropriate post-acute placements are limited. Washington State’s Complex Discharge Pilot offers a promising model, using cross-sector coordination among hospitals, state agencies, and community partners to reduce delays and improve patient transitions. This panel will discuss key lessons from the pilot, explore how similar strategies could address Hawaii’s unique capacity and workforce constraints, and identify policy and partnership opportunities to create a more seamless, patient-centered discharge system across the islands. 

Hawaii’s healthcare sector is working to transform care for individuals dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare. This panel will explore how the state is improving care coordination, streamlining benefits, and addressing social determinants of health through integrated models and strategic partnerships. 

As Hawaii’s population ages and the demand for compassionate, culturally responsive end-of-life care grows, improving access to high-quality palliative care has become a statewide priority. Panelists will share progress on workforce training, policy development, and innovative care models that honor local values and diverse cultural perspectives. Attendees will gain insights into the collaborative work underway to ensure that every patient and family in Hawaii can experience comfort, dignity, and support throughout serious illness and at the end of life. 

This panel explores the West Coast Public Health Alliance between Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, and California—an initiative focused on advancing regional strategies for population health, disease prevention, and equitable vaccine access. Panelists from all four states will discuss successful approaches to increasing vaccination rates, strengthening data sharing, and addressing health disparities through coordinated public health systems. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how Hawaii can leverage these regional partnerships to enhance preparedness, promote health equity, and build a more resilient and connected public health infrastructure. 

This panel brings together leaders to share innovative strategies for expanding access to care, integrating mental health supports in schools, and addressing systemic barriers through cross-sector partnerships. Panelists will highlight how Indigenous values of kuleana (responsibility), aloha, and resilience guide efforts to build a sustainable, equitable system of care that supports children’s mental wellness from early intervention through adolescence—offering insights and inspiration for behavioral health transformation in Hawaii and beyond.

This panel will offer a timely deep dive into Hawaii’s Advancing All‑Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development (AHEAD) initiative — its genesis, early results, and trajectory for transforming the health system across the state. Under AHEAD, Hawaiʻi is seeking to align Medicaid, Medicare, and private payers in a shared value‑based framework that centers equity, strengthens primary care, and incentivizes investments in social and community health. Participants will review how the AHEAD waiver and associated payment reforms have begun to influence care delivery, resource alignment, and provider transformation, with particular attention to how FQHCs, rural providers, and underserved communities are being engaged.

Details coming soon.