STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1369

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.C.R. No. 77

H.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 77, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE STATE TO SUPPORT EXISTING FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS AND TO IDENTIFY STATEWIDE SITES THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORE FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS STATEWIDE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the State to support and to develop more federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) throughout the State.

The Hawaii Primary Care Association submitted testimony in support of this measure.

Your Committees find that FQHCs provide a valuable health care safety net for under-served populations in this State, particularly residents who are uninsured or Medicaid or Medicare recipients, and residents who live in rural areas or neighbor islands. As the proponent noted, despite the important services they provide, FQHCs still struggle to ensure that their patients, and the increasing number of people who need their help, obtain access to health care. This measure encourages the State to support existing FQHCs and to identify statewide sites that would benefit from the development of more FQHCs.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 77, H.D. 1, and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services,

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SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

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ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair