The federal government would help pay for the health care costs of Hawai'i migrants from Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau under an amendment now included in the House version of America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009.

U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie on Friday said he was successful in getting the amendment into the bill, something that if passed would help with the state's budget crisis.

The state has provided health care services for some of these migrants from Compact of Free Association nations under its Quest Medicaid program, but hasn't been reimbursed by the federal government. Under the compact, residents from those countries may enter the United States and receive full education, health and law enforcement services.

Abercrombie noted that the federal government in 1996 stopped reimbursing the state for providing those services and that the state has spent more than $100 million annually for those costs. His office said the health care portion amounts to $28.5 million for compact migrants who aren't pregnant.

"Today's amendment means the Hawai'i taxpayer won't get stuck with the whole bill any longer," Abercrombie said in a press statement.

Under the amendment, the state would receive matching funds for Medicaid offered to compact migrants, or about $15 million annually, Abercrombie's office said.

The state applauded the move.

"We strongly support the amendment and hope our congressional delegation succeeds in winning its approval," said Lillian Koller, director of the state Department of Human Services.

"At a minimum, Hawai'i should receive federal Medicaid matching funds to provide health care coverage for migrants from Compact of Free Association countries. Ideally, our state should receive 100 percent reimbursement, since this is a national — not a state — obligation."

Earlier in the week, the state announced it could no longer shoulder the compact migrant costs for Medicaid services because of the budget crisis and has created a program with less comprehensive services for 7,500 noncitizens.

The program, Basic Health Hawai'i, is to start Sept. 1. The state said it hopes to save $15 million annually by switching the noncitizens, including compact migrants, to the new offering.