STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1008

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1373

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1373, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to ensure health care access for all residents by appropriating funds for nonprofit, community-based health care providers to provide direct health care services to uninsured residents.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Primary Care Association, the Kupuna Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Community Clinic of Maui, Waikiki Health Center, Molokai Community Health Center, Bay Clinic Inc., Kokua Kalihi Valley, Kalihi-Palama Health Center, Kiuchi & Nakamoto Attorneys at Law, Hoola Lahui Hawaii, Waimanalo Health Center, Lanai Women's Center, Lanai Community Health Center and the Koolauloa Community Health and Wellness Center, Inc.  Testimony in opposition of this measure was submitted by the Department of Health.

 

     Written testimony presented to your Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committees find that support throughout the fiscal biennium is necessary to provide cost-effective care for uninsured Hawaii residents and ensure that the community health center system remains financially viable and stable as the number of uninsured persons grows.  Your Committees further find that current funding levels for community health centers providing direct health care services to the uninsured is $6,000,000.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Amending the appropriation provision to allow for a two-year appropriation; and

 

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2009.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1373, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1373, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services,

 

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair