STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1573

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 428

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 428, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PHYSICIAN WORKFORCE ASSESSMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to improve physician recruitment and retention in rural and medically underserved areas of the State.

More specifically, the measure would permit the John A. Burns School of Medicine to continue receiving a portion of the physician workforce assessment fee to support physician workforce assessment and planning for the recruitment and retention of physicians.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, East Hawaii Region of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, University of Hawaii, County of Hawaii, Hawaii Academy of Family Physicians, Lanai Community Health Center, Big Island Toyota, Hawaii Pacific Health, Hawaii Medical Association, Native Hawaiian Affairs and Clinical Support – The Queen's Health Systems, The Queen's Health Systems, Hilo Medical Center Foundation, International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 142, Hawaii Area Health Education Center, Kaiser Permanente, and eleven individuals.

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Hawaii Medical Board and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that there is a critical need to recruit and retain physicians to serve rural and medically underserved areas of the State.  The State has the fifth oldest physician workforce of all the states, and more than half of the State's physicians will be over the age of sixty-five within ten years.  Your Committee believes that supporting the recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals, especially in rural, remote, and underserved areas, promotes access to quality healthcare.

     Your Committee notes that the Hawaii Medical Board has requested that the allocation of a portion of the physician workforce assessment fee to the John A. Burns School of Medicine be extended, rather than be made permanent.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to June 29, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 428, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 428, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair