Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2683 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Health to pay for primary medical, dental, and behavioral health services for uninsured Hawaii residents through nonprofit, community-based primary health care centers.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from Aloha Care, Hoola Lahui Hawaii, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Primary Care Association, and Kokua Council. Testimony in opposition was received from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that community health centers have proven to be effective in providing comprehensive primary care services to residents of poor and disadvantaged communities who are uninsured. The uninsured population in Hawaii has increased in recent years and currently stands at ten per cent. Your Committee further finds that the growing number of uninsured patients in our health centers create a financial burden which requires ongoing assistance.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making an unspecified appropriation specifically to Kauai Community Health Center, as there are other measures that have addressed funding for the other community health centers in the State.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2683, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2683, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.