Appropriates funds to Molokai General Hospital for operating costs during fiscal year 2006-2007.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. Molokai General Hospital is the only hospital on the island of Molokai and serves a population of approximately seven thousand residents. The hospital is a thirty-bed facility with fourteen acute care and sixteen long-term care beds. It provides twenty-four-hour emergency care, urgent care, acute medical and pediatric inpatient care, low risk midwifery care, radiology services, ultrasound services, laboratory services, respiratory therapy, and physical therapy.

Although Molokai General Hospital is not a state hospital, it receives a monthly subsidy from the State as a community hospital. Molokai General Hospital receives most of its financial and management support as a subsidiary of Queen's Health Systems. However, because the Queen's Health Systems have had financial challenges due to rising behavioral health costs and special call pay for its trauma center, Molokai General Hospital's financial support has been severely affected. Thus, Molokai General Hospital must rely on increased financial support from the State, the county of Maui, and federal grants.

The purpose of this Act is to provide financial support to Molokai General Hospital for its operating costs.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,500,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for the operating costs of Molokai General Hospital.

SECTION 3. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.