Hawaii is expected to be exempted from whatever national health-care bill emerges from Congress, meaning businesses will continue to bear most of the cost of providing insurance.

U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka, both Democrats, will request that an exemption for Hawaii be included in the final draft of the health reform bill, according to Peter Boylan, a spokesman for Inouye’s office.

Because of Inouye’s seniority and position as chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, as well as the unlikelihood that any serious political opposition would rise to block his amendment, an exemption appears all but certain.

The Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act of 1974, which requires businesses to provide health insurance to employees who work more than 20 hours a week, has long been viewed by national health-care experts as progressive legislation that has kept the number of uninsured well below the national average.