REPORT TITLE:
Health Center


DESCRIPTION:
Makes appropriation of $200,000 for FY 1998-1999 for the Hana
community health center to continue operations for current fiscal
year.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.1754       
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE.



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

 1      SECTION 1.  This Act is recommended by the governor for
 
 2 immediate passage in accordance with section 9 of article VII of
 
 3 the Constitution of the State of Hawaii.
 
 4      SECTION 2.  The legislature finds that the State transferred
 
 5 the Hana medical center to the Hana community health center in
 
 6 July 1997 with a guarantee to continue providing needed financial
 
 7 support for the center's essential medical programs.  This
 
 8 commitment is part of Act 263, Session Laws of Hawaii 1996, which
 
 9 provided for the transfer.  Before the transfer, $1,500,000 was
 
10 required annually; after the transfer, the appropriation for the
 
11 center was cut to $1,064,000, an almost thirty per cent cut.  At
 
12 the same time, in the first year of operation, the center saw an
 
13 increase of fourteen per cent in patient visits.
 
14      The center received an appropriation of $800,000 in the last
 
15 legislative session, or $264,000 less than the preceding year.
 
16 The center needs at least $1,000,000 to operate at current
 
17 levels.  Left unfunded, the center will be required to eliminate
 
18 its urgent care component on March 1, 1999, as a cost-cutting
 
19 measure.  The center must also coordinate with ambulance services
 

 
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 1 and provide assistance in stabilizing patients with life
 
 2 threatening illness or traumatic injury.  The coordination of
 
 3 emergency services and provision of life support care is
 
 4 absolutely essential to the three thousand residents of Hana and
 
 5 the 500,000 tourists who visit annually.
 
 6      An emergency appropriation of $200,000 is needed to enable
 
 7 the center to continue its effort to improve the delivery of
 
 8 health care to the Hana community and meet the need for a
 
 9 coordinated response to emergency medical situations.  The
 
10 purpose of this Act is to restore to the Hana community health
 
11 center adequate funding to maintain its operations within the
 
12 existing fiscal year and thereby comply with the negotiated
 
13 agreement and promise of state financial assistance through an
 
14 emergency appropriation of $200,000.
 
15      SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
16 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $200,000, or so much
 
17 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1998-1999 to enable
 
18 the Hana community health center to continue its operations
 
19 through the current fiscal year.
 
20      SECTION 4.  The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
 
21 department of health for the purposes of this Act.
 

 
 
 
 
 
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                                     H.B. NO.1754       
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
 
 2 
 
 3                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________