Report Title:

Elderly Care; PACE

Description:

Extends the Program for All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) to June 30, 2007.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1260

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO ELDERLY CARE.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the chronically ill and disabled elderly are often in need of a variety of long-term care services including medical, rehabilitation therapies, psycho-social, transportation, meals, personal care, and grooming services. In addition, frail elderly and their families are often caught in a labyrinth of application forms, endless phone calls, and inquiries to obtain appropriate health and social services. Dealing with multiple agencies and deciphering their costs and eligibility requirements are formidable tasks and add to family stress and frustration.

A fragmented long-term care system and the limited scope of services result in the frail individual settling for services that can only be obtained in the immediate community or being prematurely placed in an institution such as a nursing home. This is not only costly and insufficient, but also undesirable. Moreover, nursing home placements are expensive due to the high costs of constructing and operating such facilities.

The 1991 legislature recognized the need for an alternative community-based program that is comprehensive, prevents institutionalization, and contains long-term care costs. Specifically, the legislature appropriated over $2,000,000 for a demonstration project at Maluhia hospital known as the program for all-inclusive care for the elderly (PACE).

The legislature finds that PACE provides a complete package of services that enhances the quality of life for the elderly participants. In addition, PACE addresses the problems of fragmented and costly long-term care by meeting the needs of Hawaii's families who are struggling to maintain their frail elderly in their own homes to avoid institutionalization. Another benefit to families, as well as the State, is that PACE costs less than what medicare, medicaid, and private individuals currently pay for long-term care.

The PACE demonstration project at Maluhia hospital allows the viability of a cost-effective statewide program offering quality community-based, long-term care programs to be evaluated.

The purpose of this Act is to extend the PACE demonstration project in the department of health's Maluhia long-term care health center.

SECTION 2. Act 211, Session Laws of Hawaii 1992, as amended by Act 338, Session Laws of Hawaii 1997, and Act 57, Session Laws of Hawaii 2002, is amended by amending section 8 to read as follows:

"SECTION 8. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1992, and shall be repealed on June 30, [2005.] 2007."

SECTION 3. Act 338, Session Laws of Hawaii 1997, as amended by Act 57, Session Laws of Hawaii 2002, is amended by amending subsection (b) of section 3 to read as follows:

"(b) The PACE program shall address these issues and report its findings to the legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of the regular session of 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, [and] 2005[.], 2006, and 2007."

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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