REPORT TITLE:
Hana Community Health Center


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates funds for operation of the Hana community health
center for FY 1999-2000 and 2000-2001.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           838
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE HANA COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER. 


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

 1      SECTION 1.  The former Hana Medical Center, a state
 
 2 community hospital, became the nonprofit Hana Community Health
 
 3 Center (Center), by Act 263, Session Laws of Hawaii 1996.  The
 
 4 purpose of the transformation was to improve the health status of
 
 5 area residents through the provision of a community-based program
 
 6 of comprehensive primary care services in a cost-efficient
 
 7 manner.  The purpose of Act 263 was also to guarantee state
 
 8 financial support to the Center to develop a community-based
 
 9 health care program.
 
10      The legislature finds that the Center is the only health
 
11 provider for the Hana district.  Hana town is some fifty-seven
 
12 miles from Wailuku, taking approximately two hours to make the
 
13 trip.  Native Hawaiians account for approximately sixty-five per
 
14 cent of the patients served by the Center.  The legislature
 
15 further finds that Hana has one of the State's worst health
 
16 profiles.  In 1998, the state department of health identified
 
17 Hana as having some of the worst health and socio-economic
 
18 indicators in the state. 
 
19      The legislature further finds that the Center provides
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           838
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 prevention oriented health care, acute and chronic care, urgent
 
 2 care, limited laboratory screening, limited X-ray services, pre-
 
 3 packaged medications in lieu of a full pharmacy, and home health
 
 4 care for the elderly and disabled.  The legislature further finds
 
 5 that in fiscal year 1997-1998, the Center had approximately 2,300
 
 6 patients who made 6,214 visits, an increase of fourteen per cent
 
 7 over the previous fiscal year.
 
 8      The legislature further finds that the appropriations
 
 9 contained in this Act for each fiscal year is approximately
 
10 $500,000 less than the cost to the State before the Center took
 
11 over the Hana Medical Center. 
 
12      The purpose of this Act is to make an appropriation to the
 
13 Hana Community Health Center for operating expenses.
 
14      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
15 revenues of the State of Hawaii, the sum of $1,000,000, or so
 
16 much thereof as may be necessary, for fiscal year 1999-2000, and
 
17 the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for fiscal
 
18 year 2000-2001, for the operation of the Hana Community health
 
19 Center.
 
20      SECTION 3.  The sums appropriated shall be expended by the
 
21 department of health.
 

 
 
 
 
 
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                                     S.B. NO.           838
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.
 
 2 
 
 3                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________