SB43 CD1.DOC

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the state's population growth and rapidly aging population will significantly increase the demand for physician services. Hawaii's physician workforce is also aging. Federal statistics show that over a third of the State's physicians are fifty-five years of age or older and can be expected to leave the workforce at a time when demand is escalating. Furthermore, physician shortages will likely reduce access to care, particularly for neighbor island residents, the elderly, and the indigent statewide. Physician workforce shortages will also significantly raise the already high cost of medical care. In 2006, the federal government projected an across-the-board national physician shortage by the year 2020. Medical specialties whose physicians serve a large proportion of the elderly, such as ophthalmology and cardiology, may experience shortages ranging from thirty to fifty per cent. Many states have published internal studies that similarly forecast physician shortages.

The legislature finds it prudent to assess Hawaii's physician workforce on a continual basis. On-going assessments based on reliable physician workforce data will support proactive measures to prevent or ameliorate the impact of physician shortages in Hawaii.

The purpose of this Act is to implement statewide physician workforce assessment and planning.

SECTION 2. Chapter 304A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§304A‑ John A. Burns school of medicine special fund. (a) There is established the John A. Burns school of medicine special fund, to be administered and expended by the University of Hawaii.

(b) The following shall be deposited into the special fund:

(1) Appropriations by the legislature;

(2) Physician workforce assessment fees established pursuant to section 453- ;

(3) Grants, donations, gifts, or other income received for the purposes of the special fund; and

(4) Interest earned or accrued on moneys in the special fund.

(c) Moneys in the special fund shall be used to support the John A. Burns school of medicine's activities related to physician workforce assessment and planning within Hawaii; provided that expenditures from the special fund shall be limited to no more than $150,000 annually. This shall include but not be limited to maintaining accurate physician workforce assessment information and providing or updating personal and professional information, that shall be maintained in a secure database. The John A. Burns school of medicine may disclose information specific to any physician only with the express written consent of that physician."

SECTION 3. Chapter 453, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§453‑ Physician workforce assessment fee; license; physician workforce information. When a license is renewed, each physician or surgeon and each osteopathic physician or surgeon shall be assessed a fee of $60 that shall be transferred and deposited into the John A. Burns school of medicine special fund established under section 304A‑ to support ongoing assessment and planning of the physician workforce in Hawaii. Payment of the physician workforce assessment fee shall be required for license renewal."

SECTION 4. The director of commerce and consumer affairs shall disburse on a quarterly basis from the compliance resolution fund, established pursuant to section 26-9(o), Hawaii Revised Statutes, to the credit of the John A. Burns school of medicine special fund established pursuant to section 304A- , Hawaii Revised Statutes, all moneys collected from the fee assessed pursuant to section 453‑ , Hawaii Revised Statutes.

SECTION 5. The John A. Burns school of medicine shall submit a report of findings and recommendations detailing its assessment of the physician workforce to the legislature, the state health planning and development agency, and the Hawaii medical board no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2011 and each odd-numbered year thereafter. The report to the Hawaii medical board shall also include information on the expenditure of fees collected pursuant to section 453- , Hawaii Revised Statutes, to produce a physician workforce plan for Hawaii.

SECTION 6. There is appropriated out of the compliance resolution fund the sum of $5,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009-2010 to be deposited into the John A. Burns school of medicine special fund established pursuant to section 304A- , Hawaii Revised Statutes.

The sum shall be reimbursed from the John A. Burns school of medicine special fund to the compliance resolution fund by July 1, 2010.

SECTION 7. There is appropriated out of the John A. Burns school of medicine special fund the sum of $150,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009-2010 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2010-2011 for expenditure as authorized under section 304A‑ (c), Hawaii Revised Statutes.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the John A. Burns school of medicine for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 8. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 9. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2009; provided that sections 3 and 4 shall be repealed on June 30, 2012.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	43
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009		S.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII		H.D. 2
		C.D. 1