Report Title:

Healthcare Shortage Zones; Advisory Working Group

 

Description:

Establishes a joint advisory working group to make recommendations on ways to address healthcare provider density zones.

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1448

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

relating to health care Zones.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  (a)  There shall be established a joint advisory working group comprised of the following members:

     (1)  The chairperson of the senate committee on health, or the chairperson's designee;

     (2)  The chairperson of the house committee on health or the chairperson's designee;

     (3)  The director of health, or the director's designee;

     (4)  The administrator of the state health planning and development agency; and

     (5)  The chairperson of the board of directors of the Hawaii State Center for Nursing, University of Hawaii.

     (b)  The joint advisory working group shall:

     (1)  Review and assess the existing level of physician or provider densities in the state;

     (2)  Determine and designate three zones of physician or provider densities in the state as follows:

         (A)  Green zones, for areas that have adequate physician or provider densities;

         (B)  Yellow zones, for areas that have below-adequate physician or provider densities, resulting in healthcare shortage conditions; and

          (C)  Red zones, for areas that have extremely low physician or provider densities, resulting in critical healthcare shortage conditions; and

     (3)  No later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2008, develop and submit initial recommendations on the most effective ways to address the healthcare shortage conditions in the yellow and red zones to the legislature, the governor, and the public through the Internet, news media, or other available distribution methods; provided that subsequent recommendations may be submitted to the legislature, governor, and the public after the submittal of the initial recommendations.

     (c)  The joint advisory working group shall convene at least once annually and shall be exempt from the provisions of chapter 92.  The chairperson of the house committee on health, or the chairperson's designee, and the chairperson of the senate committee on health, or the chairperson's designee, shall convene the first meeting.  The members shall elect a chairperson who shall preside over meetings.

     (d)  Upon request of the joint advisory working group, all other state and county agencies shall furnish data, research, and other information necessary for the joint advisory working group to perform its duties.

     SECTION 2.  This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2050.