Report Title:

West Maui; Outpatient, Urgent, & Extended After Hours Medical Care.

Description:

Appropriates funds to the Department of Health to provide outpatient, urgent and extended after hours medical care in West Maui. (HB2153 CD1)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2153

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006

H.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

S.D. 2


C.D. 1

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 West Maui has a de facto population of fifty thousand, and its resident population is projected to double within ten years. The area lacks twenty-four-hour, seven-days-a-week, urgent and extended medical care. Urgent care is required for any episode of illness or injury that is not immediately life-threatening and not elective but is brought on unexpectedly. Extended care services refer to the provision of appropriate medical care after normal physician work hours, or clinic hours on weekdays and whole or partial days on weekends and holidays.

The legislature finds that West Maui patients who need urgent care after hours must drive over twenty-five miles one way to central Maui for care. Providing outpatient, urgent, and extended medical care in West Maui could reduce the costs of health care and provide needed medical services to residents of the area. The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to provide outpatient, urgent, and extended after-hours medical care in West Maui.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $300,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007 for the department of health to contract with a private health care provider or a nonprofit health care provider pursuant to chapter 103F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to:

(1) Provide outpatient, urgent, and extended after hours medical care to any patient in West Maui; and

(2) Fund expenses related to the delivery of direct services, including staff salaries for medical and administrative personnel, and operating expenses, including equipment purchases.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.