Bill Text: HI SB240 | 2012 | Regular Session | Amended
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
STAND. COM. REP. NO. 323
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.B. No. 240
S.D. 1
Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui
President of the Senate
Twenty-Sixth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2011
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committees on Education and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 240 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PHYSICIAN WORKFORCE ASSESSMENT,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to:
(1) Make the Physician Workforce Assessment fee permanent; and
(2) Require that a portion of the Physician Workforce Assessment fees deposited into the John A. Burns School of Medicine Special Fund be used to support physician workforce assessment and planning for rural and medically underserved areas of the State.
Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa John A. Burns School of Medicine, the Hawaii Association for Justice, the Puna Community Medical Center, and two individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Medical Board.
Your Committees find that the Physician Workforce Assessment implemented 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 Committees further find 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 is essential to address the State's ongoing needs for a strong physician workforce.
Your Committees have amended this measure by:
(1) Adding language to require that physician recruitment and retention for rural and medically underserved areas of the State be included in the physician workforce assessment; and
(2) Requiring the John A. Burns School of Medicine to report to the Legislature, the State Health Planning and Development Agency, and the Hawaii Medical Board annually rather than every other year.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 240, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 240, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Health,
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____________________________ JOSH GREEN, M.D., Chair |
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____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair |
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