Appropriates $300,000 to DOH to provide outpatient urgent and extended medical care after normal physician hours in West Maui.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that West Maui has a de facto population of fifty thousand and its resident population is projected to double within ten years. The area lacks urgent and extended medical care. Urgent care is required for any episode of illness or injury that is not immediately life-threatening and not elective but is brought on unexpectedly. Extended care services refer to the provision of appropriate medical care after normal physician work hours, or after 5:00 p.m. on weekdays and whole or partial days on the weekends and on holidays.

The legislature finds that patients needing urgent care must drive over twenty-five miles to the Maui memorial medical center one-way for care. Often, the patient must wait hours to receive treatment in the emergency room. Providing outpatient urgent and extended care in West Maui would dramatically reduce the costs of health care and provide needed medical services to residents of the area.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to provide outpatient urgent and extended medical care in West Maui.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $300,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for outpatient urgent and extended medical care in West Maui.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.