Bill Text: HI SB240 | 2012 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Physician Workforce Assessment Fee; John A. Burns School of Medicine

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Passed) 2012-06-29 - (S) Act 186, 6/28/2012 (Gov. Msg. No. 1289). [SB240 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-SB240-Amended.html

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CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 85-12

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2012

 

RE:    S.B. No. 240

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 2

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sirs:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 240, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

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

 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require one hundred percent of the physician workforce assessment fees in the John A. Burns school of medicine special fund to be used to address communication and implementation of federal health care reform and law, support and develop the medical home model, and support increases in physician reimbursements;

 

     (2)  Extend the physician workforce assessment fee to July 1, 2015; and

 

     (3)  Require the John A. Burns School of Medicine to prepare an annual, rather than biennial, report to the Legislature assessing the physician workforce.

 

     Your Committee on Conference finds that the physician workforce assessment established by Act 18, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2009, reports a current shortage of 600 physicians in the State and an impending shortage of 1,200 physicians by 2020.  The shortage of physicians is compounded by the fact that Hawaii's physician workforce is the fifth oldest of all the states and many physicians will soon retire.  In addition, Hawaii fails to attract young physicians to practice in the State.

 

Your Committee on Conference further finds that the recruitment and retention of physicians to serve the rural and medically underserved areas of the State are critical.  The continuation of the physician workforce assessment project and the formation and execution of tangible solutions are essential if the State is to adequately address the ongoing need for a strong physician workforce.

 

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Extending the physician workforce assessment fee until June 30, 2017;

 

     (2)  Requiring that no less than fifty percent of the total amount of assessment fees deposited into the John A. Burns school of medicine special fund be used for purposes identified by the Hawaii Medical Education Council to support physician workforce assessment and planning, including the recruitment and retention of physicians, for rural and medically underserved areas of the State;

 

(3)  Increasing the amount from the John A. Burns school of medicine special fund that may be expended annually from $150,000 to $245,000; and

 

(4)  Making this measure effective on June 29, 2012; provided that the requirements described in paragraphs (2) and (3) above shall be repealed on June 30, 2017.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 240, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 240, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Co-Chair		____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair
____________________________ MARILYN B. LEE, Co-Chair		____________________________ JOSH GREEN, M.D., Co-Chair
		____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Co-Chair