Bill Text: HI HB1811 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Health Care; Elderly Working Group

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-02-16 - The committee(s) on HUS/HLT recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. [HB1811 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2016-HB1811-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1811
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO HEALTH.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that currently 238,000 Hawaii residents, constituting 18.7 per cent of Hawaii's total population, are aged sixty and older.  By 2030, this age group is projected to constitute more than one-fourth (27.4 per cent) of the State's population.  Hawaii's population is expected to increase by twenty-one per cent between 2000 and 2030.  However, the number of people sixty years and older is expected to increase by 93.8 per cent and the number of people eighty-five years and older is expected to increase by 174.7 per cent during the same period.

     The legislature further finds that a "Silver Tsunami" is anticipated in the State as the boomer generation enters its senior years.  The great recession of 2008 destroyed the possibility of a comfortable retirement for many of the State's seniors.  Many seniors who can no longer work or are not employable lack any kind of safety net to keep them from homelessness.  In the next ten years, the "Silver Tsunami" is expected to substantially impact the entire State and the health care system.  Four areas of major interest and concern relating to Hawaii's elderly are:

     (1)  Palliative care.  Palliative care is essential to the health care treatment of patients seeking to reduce suffering caused by an illness or medical treatment, including surgical procedures, chemotherapy, and hormone treatment therapy;

     (2)  Hospice care.  Hospice care is generally provided to individuals who have a short-term life expectancy of less than six months;

     (3)  Advance directives.  Advance directives are legally binding documents that detail a person's wishes and desires pertaining to health care and medical treatment, including instructions prohibiting certain medical treatments from being administered to the person; and

     (4)  End-of-life options.

     The purpose of this Act is to establish an elderly working group to develop and recommend a strategic plan to address these four issues.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  There is established an elderly working group, to be placed within the department of health for administrative purposes.  The elderly working group shall:

     (1)  Review current palliative care techniques and "best practices" from other states to ensure that Hawaii's patients in hospice care, along with their families, are afforded the best practices during the final phase of each patient's life;

     (2)  Explore end-of-life options to be provided to patients at the end stage of life; and

     (3)  Identify a strategic plan to better address adequate palliative care, hospice care, advance directives, and recommendations of end-of-life options for patients in Hawaii.

     (b)  The elderly working group shall consist of the following twelve members who shall serve until January 1, 2018:

     (1)  The director of health or the director's designee, who shall serve as the chairperson for the elderly working group;

     (2)  The director or the director's designee of the state executive office on aging;

     (3)  The director or the director's designee of the Lanakila Meals on Wheels program;

     (4)  The president or the president's designee of AARP;

     (5)  One member with expertise in palliative care and hospice care, to be appointed by the dean of the University of Hawaii, John A. Burns school of medicine, from its department of geriatric medicine;

     (6)  A physician who has expertise in internal medicine, gerontology, oncology, palliative care, or hospice care, to be appointed by the governor;

     (7)  A physician who has expertise in internal medicine, gerontology, oncology, palliative care, or hospice care, to be appointed by the president of the senate;

     (8)  A physician who has expertise in internal medicine, gerontology, oncology, palliative care, or hospice care, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

     (9)  Two registered nurses who specialize in internal medicine, gerontology, oncology, palliative care, or hospice care to be appointed by the governor;

    (10)  A family member survivor of a patient who passed away after going through palliative care and hospice care, to be appointed by the president of the senate; and

    (11)  A family member survivor of a patient who passed away after going through palliative care and hospice care, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

     All appointees shall have expertise in fields or disciplines related to the elderly, health care, and education or awareness of issues relating to the elderly.

     Any vacancies in the elderly working group shall be filled in the manner provided for the original appointments.

     (c)  Upon the initial meeting by the working group, to occur no later than thirty days after the effective date of this Act, its members may elect a vice chairperson and any other necessary officers from among the appointed members.  A majority of the elderly working group shall constitute a quorum for its necessary duties.

     (d)  The elderly working group shall meet no less than quarterly.  The elderly working group may also hold additional public meetings as it deems necessary.  The chairperson, at the request of a majority of members, may request special meetings.

     (e)  Members of the elderly working group shall receive no compensation for their services.

     (f)  The elderly working group shall submit an interim report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, and a draft strategic plan to better address health care for seniors in Hawaii to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2017.  The elderly working group shall submit a final report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, and a final strategic plan to better address health care for seniors in Hawaii to the legislature, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2018.

     (g)  The elderly working group shall terminate on January 1, 2018.

     SECTION 3.  It is not the intent of the legislature for this Act to jeopardize the receipt of any federal aid.  If this Act is found to be in conflict with federal requirements that are a prescribed condition for the allocation of federal funds to the State, this Act shall be deemed void.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Health Care; Elderly Working Group

 

Description:

Establishes an Elderly Working Group to recommend a strategic plan to address health care concerns and needs for Hawaii's seniors.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.