STAND. COM. REP. NO. 422

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 169

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 169 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HAWAII HEALTH CORPS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish the Hawaii Health Corps, a program that will provide stipends for physicians and dentists who agree to provide a minimum of three years of service in health professional shortage areas of the State.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Hawaii Medical Services Association, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, and the Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association.  Testimony in opposition of this measure was submitted by the Department of Health.  Copies of written testimony are available for review on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that changes in demographics, the delivery of health care services, and the escalating costs of education have resulted in severe shortages of health care professionals.  A poor distribution of health care professionals has resulted in a surplus of these professionals in some areas of the State and a shortage in other parts of the State, particularly in the more rural areas.  The rural shortage areas often require more services because the health care needs are greater due to socio-economic or geographic circumstances.  The shortage of health care professionals is compounded as the salary potential for areas of shortage is often not as favorable when compared to non-shortage areas.  This results in many health care practitioners being financially unable to serve in those shortage areas.

     This measure is intended to alleviate the problem of health professional shortage areas by establishing a Hawaii Health Corps Program to encourage physicians and dentists to serve in areas of the State where there is a shortage of health care professionals. 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by substituting a similar measure, Senate Bill No. 416, relating to the Hawaii health corps program.  Your Committee has retained the provisions of Senate Bill 169 (2009), relating to Hawaii Health Corps first responder service obligation; Hawaii health corps special fund; stipends; and an appropriation.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 169, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 169, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair