HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

978

TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011

H.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO HEALTH.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the Community Clinic of Maui, Inc., doing business as Malama I Ke Ola Health Center, is a Hawaii nonprofit corporation and a federally-qualified health center that was founded in 1993 to meet the community demand for health services for homeless, poor, and underserved individuals on the island of Maui.

     The legislature further finds that the island of Maui has many transient and uninsured populations, often containing undocumented individuals.  Maui county also has a high substance abuse rate and a large family violence caseload, coupled with high incidences of hepatitis B, human immunodeficiency virus, diabetes, hypertension, gout, tuberculosis, asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema.  Malama I Ke Ola Health Center serves a large number of patients with chronic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, substance addictions and resulting health problems, high-risk pregnancies, inadequate immunizations, and acute and episodic conditions and infections.  Additionally, thirty-five per cent of Malama I Ke Ola Health Center's patients suffer from social or behavioral problems that require professional intervention.

     The legislature recognizes that Malama I Ke Ola Health Center provides a comprehensive range of health services, including prenatal care, family planning, pediatric, general and family practice medicine, internal medicine, and oral health care.  Malama I Ke Ola Health Center also provides urgent care, preventative medicine, patient education, and nutritional services in addition to providing social services such as substance abuse treatment, crisis and short-term counseling, and group therapy.  Interpretation services are also available in Tagalog, Ilocano, Tongan, and Spanish languages.  The federal special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children is also offered onsite at Malama I Ke Ola Health Center.

     The legislature further finds that Malama I Ke Ola Health Center is in need of additional medical facilities to meet the growing demand for health services for the homeless, poor, and underserved individuals on the island of Maui.

     The legislature also acknowledges that the Hawaii health systems corporation owns and operates Kula hospital's medical clinic on Maui, and that, instead of closing Kula hospital's medical clinic and eliminating much needed public health facilities and services in Kula, it would be more beneficial to the residents of Maui to lease Kula hospital's medical clinic to Malama I Ke Ola Health Center, allowing Malama I Ke Ola Health Center to operate a federally-qualified health center on the premises.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to authorize the Hawaii health systems corporation to lease Kula hospital's medical clinic, including all equipment, furnishings, and fixtures therein, to the Malama I Ke Ola Health Center, upon meeting certain conditions, to provide comprehensive health care services to individuals on the island of Maui.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  The Hawaii health systems corporation may lease Kula hospital's medical clinic to Community Clinic of Maui, Inc., doing business as Malama I Ke Ola Health Center, at the rate of $      per year for a period of ten years, with the option to renew the lease for up to two additional terms of five years each.  Throughout the duration of the lease, the Hawaii health systems corporation may also lease all equipment, furnishings, and fixtures within Kula hospital's medical clinic to the Community Clinic of Maui, Inc., doing business as Malama I Ke Ola Health Center, at the rate of $      per year.

     (b)  The authorizations under this section shall be subject to chapter 103D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and other relevant state law.

     (c)  To qualify for the lease terms under this section, the Community Clinic of Maui, Inc., doing business as Malama I Ke Ola Health Center, shall:

     (1)  Have received federal funds during the term of the lease; and

     (2)  Maintain its status as a federally qualified health center.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2030.


 


 

Report Title:

Kula Hospital; Malama I Ke Ola Health Center; HHSC; Lease

 

Description:

Authorizes the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation to lease Kula Hospital's medical clinic, and all equipment, furnishings, and fixtures therein, to Malama I Ke Ola Health Center, upon meeting certain conditions.  Effective July 1, 2030.  (HB978 HD2)

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.