STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1121

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.C.R. No. 77

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 77 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING MEDICAID TO DEVELOP MORE FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS STATEWIDE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to urge Medicaid to develop more Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) throughout the State for the benefit of those desperately in need of healthcare in their communities.

NAMI Hawaii and the Hawaii Primary Care Association testified in support of this measure.

Your Committees find that community health centers are Hawaii's largest healthcare safety net that care for people who have the greatest barriers to health care and have the highest health risks. FQHCs should receive as much support as possible since they provide necessary services to underserved communities.

Your Committees have amended this concurrent resolution by:

(1) Amending its title to read: "URGING THE STATE TO SUPPORT EXISTING FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS AND TO IDENTIFY STATEWIDE SITES THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORE FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS STATEWIDE";

(2) Urging the State to support and develop FQHCs, rather than Medicaid;

(3) Requesting the support of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Health Resources and Services Administration; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 77, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 77, H.D. 1.

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

 

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair

____________________________

ALEX M. SONSON, Chair