STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1447

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  H.B. No. 1641
                                        H.D. 1
                                        S.D. 2




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B.
No. 1641, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds for
medically underserved populations.

     Specifically, this bill appropriates unspecified amounts to:

     (1)  Support primary health care for medically underserved
          populations in section 2 of the bill; and

     (2)  Provide health care services for the uninsured at eight
          community health centers on three islands in section 3
          of the bill.

     Your Committee finds that the need to support health care
for medically underserved populations is critical.  It is well
known that these patients have disproportionately more serious
and chronic diseases than the general population.  Their only
source of medical care is community health centers which are
considered primary health care providers.  The situation is
especially critical for children who need adequate medical care

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1447
                                   Page 2


and attention in order to grow and develop properly and to reach
their full learning potential.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this
bill by specifying $1 in appropriations in both sections 2 and 3
of the bill for purposes of further discussion.  Your Committee
has also made several technical, nonsubstantive, and grammatical
amendments for the purposes of clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
1641, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it
pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1641,
H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

                                 Respectfully submitted on behalf
                                 of the members of the Committee
                                 on Ways and Means,



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair

 
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