STAND. COM. REP. NO.  589

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   H.B. No. 879

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 879, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HOSPITAL SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to extend for one year, until June 30, 2014, the sunset date of the hospital sustainability program.

 

This measure also makes some adjustments to the program and appropriates funds for the program out of the hospital sustainability program special fund.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Department of Human Services, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific, The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, and the Queen's Health Systems.

 

     Your Committee finds that the hospital sustainability program leverages available federal funds for the Department of Human Services to make supplemental payments to hospitals to help offset the hospitals' uncompensated care costs, thereby increasing the sustainability of Hawaii's hospitals.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Changing the effective date of the measure to July 1, 2030, in order to facilitate continued discussion on the measure; and

 

(2)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 879, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 879, H.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair