STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1721

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 126

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Health and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.R. No. 126 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING THE COUNTIES TO FORM PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE STATE AND PRIVATE SECTOR TO COVER HEALTHCARE INFRASTRUCTURE AND OVERHEAD COSTS FOR PRIMARY CARE AND SPECIALTY PHYSICIANS PRACTICING MEDICINE IN HAWAII'S RURAL AREAS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to ensure that individuals living in rural communities have access to quality health care by encouraging the counties to form partnerships with the State and private sector to cover health care infrastructure and overhead costs for primary care and specialty physicians practicing medicine in Hawaii's rural areas.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaii Medical Service Association.

     Your Committees find that a critical shortage of health care providers exists on the neighbor islands and rural communities of the State.  The proposed partnership between the counties and the State and private sector will benefit the residents of Hawaii by increasing the number of health care providers in rural communities.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 126 and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair