Bill Text: HI HB2254 | 2020 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Loan Repayment For Health Care Professionals.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-1)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-03-03 - Referred to CPH/HRE, WAM. [HB2254 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2020-HB2254-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
2254 |
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THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO LOAN REPAYMENT FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that many Hawaii
residents are unable to obtain timely and appropriate health care due to
shortages of primary health care providers in the State. These shortages not only threaten individual
health but also cumulatively affect the State's health care costs. Areas of Hawaii, which have been designated
by the federal government as medically underserved areas, have been most
significantly affected by shortages of primary and behavioral health care
providers such as physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and
psychologists. Social workers, marriage
and family therapists, and nurses are also urgently needed.
In many cases, the increasingly high cost
of education for health care professionals binds graduates to a career path
that provides sufficient income to repay often exorbitant student loans over
$500,000. These career paths most
frequently lead to professional practice in highly specialized areas of care in
urban areas rather than in general practice on the neighbor islands or in rural
areas, where the need is greatest. The
legislature further finds that counties in the United States with robust
primary health care systems have lower costs and improved patient outcomes. Recognizing this correlation, many states
have made the policy decision to dedicate public funds to the development of a
strong primary health care workforce.
The legislature further finds that the only
loan repayment program currently available in the State is administered by the
John A. Burns school of medicine at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. This program leverages private donations to
access matching federal funds through the State Loan Repayment Program of the
National Health Service Corps of the Department of Health and Human Services. Since September 1, 2012, the loan repayment
program has supported forty-six recipients in exchange for work in underserved
geographic and practice areas in Hawaii.
Currently, health care professionals who have benefited from the loan
repayment program serve the communities of Waianae, Hilo, and Wailuku; at
health clinics in Kalihi-Palama Health Center, Queen Emma Clinic, and Waikiki
Health Center; and in public institutional settings at the Federal Detention
Center in Honolulu and the Halawa correctional facility.
The legislature recognizes the considerable
public outcomes achieved from the general funds allocated in each year of the
2017-2019 biennium, and fiscal year 2019-2020, to educate, train, and
facilitate health care professionals to work in underserved areas. At this time, the loan repayment program
supports twenty-four health care providers in Hawaii.
The purpose of this Act is to appropriate
funds for fiscal year 2020-2021 to the department of health to fund the health
care provider loan repayment program administered through the John A. Burns
school of medicine to provide loan repayment for physicians, physician
assistants, psychologists, nurse practitioners, social workers, marriage and
family therapists, and nurses who agree to work in a federally-designated
health professional shortage area or in a geographic area of Hawaii found to be
underserved.
SECTION 2.
There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii
the sum of $ or so
much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020-2021 for the health care
provider loan repayment program; provided that no funds shall be released
unless matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis by funds from a private or another
public source.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by
the department of health in coordination with the John A. Burns school of
medicine at the University of Hawaii at Manoa for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 3.
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.
Report Title:
Loan Repayment; State Loan Repayment Program; Health Care Professionals; Matching Funds; Appropriation
Description:
Appropriates funds for fiscal year 2020-2021 for the health care provider loan repayment program administered through the John A. Burns School of Medicine of the University of Hawaii at Manoa; provided that the funds are matched on a dollar-to-dollar basis by a private or another public source. Effective 7/1/2050. (HD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
