Requires the Department of Health to ensure the establishment of community health centers and satellite community health centers throughout the state.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that healthcare should be available to all Hawaii residents. Although Hawaii has long been a leader in providing health coverage to its citizens, the number of insured individuals has decreased over the past decade, and the cost of health insurance has become a burden on small businesses. Further, the number of uninsured and underinsured in Hawaii is grossly underestimated because a large portion of the population, including the homeless, illegal immigrants, and persons who have not filed tax returns, have not been counted.

The purpose of this Act is to increase the provision of health-related services in Hawaii to a universal level, improve the overall health of Hawaii's citizens, and reduce healthcare costs by establishing a system of state-designated community health centers, satellite community health centers, and critical access health clinics throughout the state that are available to all of the people of Hawaii.

SECTION 2. The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"Chapter

§ -1 Definitions. As used in this chapter:

"Corporation" means the Hawaii health systems corporation.

"Director" means the director of health.

§ -2 Community health centers. (a) The director shall ensure that a state-designated community health center or satellite community health center is established in locations not to exceed every thirty miles on each island in the state.

(b) The community health centers and satellite community health centers shall provide care to all individuals, regardless of whether they are insured or able to pay for services.

(c) The director of health shall ensure that adequate options for transportation to a community health center or satellite community health center are available to individuals who are unable to access other public or private transportation.

§ -3 Critical access health clinics. The corporation shall establish critical access health clinics at each of its rural facilities.

§ -4 Funding. The director and the corporation shall seek partnerships with private entities to support the development of new community health centers and critical access health clinics."

SECTION 3. (a) The department of health shall ensure that the community health centers and satellite community health centers are completed and operational statewide as follows:

(b) The department of health shall develop and submit to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2006 regular session, legislation that establishes:

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $5,000,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006 for the development of state-designated community health centers and satellite community health centers.

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

SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $2,000,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006 for the establishment of critical access health clinics at each of Hawaii health system corporation's rural facilities.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the Hawaii health systems corporation for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2005.