Hawai'i ranks among the least generous states in terms of funding Medicaid programs, according to a new study.

Hawai'i was the eighth-worst out of all states and the District of Columbia when it came to Medicaid payments per enrollee, said the Foundation for Health Coverage Education. The foundation examined data provided by the Kaiser Family Health Foundation from 2005 to identify how programs differed from state to state.

"How well a state funds its own programs and how much matching funding it receives from the federal government determine the number of physicians willing to treat Medicaid patients, the ability of hospital emergency rooms to stay open and the waiting periods Americans must endure when signing up," said Phil Lebherz, foundation founder and executive director, in a press statement.

"When Medicaid falls short of paying healthcare providers what they need in order to keep their doors open, providers have to charge private patients more and this impacts everyone in that state."

Hawai'i's Medicaid payments per enrollee were $4,051.

That compared to the nation's best rate of $7,941 found in the District of Columbia.

The worst rate was in California, where payments per enrollee were $2,701.

The Foundation for Health Coverage Education is a nonprofit organization with offices in San Jose, Calif. It was founded in response to increasing numbers of uninsured people who are eligible for health coverage but aren't enrolled.