Senators Introduce Maui Health Care Bill Package
State senators who represent Maui have introduced a bill package this session that incorporates the recommendations of the Maui Health Care Initiative Task Force, which was established by Act 219 and enacted in the 2007 session.
The Task Force was created to address problems brought to attention in 2004 with a Hawai`i Health Information Corporation study, “Maui Bed Needs Study, 2005–2025.” The study detailed the need for additional long term care and acute care beds. The bill package also addresses the community’s expressed desire for additional medical services on Maui and a greater say in the health planning process.
Sen. Rosalyn Baker (D-South and West Maui), Sen. Shan Tsutsui (D-Wailuku, Waihe`e, Kahului, Pa`ia, Lower Pa`ia), and Sen. J. Kalani English (D-Hana, East and Upcountry Maui, Moloka`i, Lana`i and Kaho`olawe) say they have worked together to assemble the best combination of approaches to improving Maui’s health care.
The Maui Health Initiative Legislative Package includes:
• Senate Bill 2412 - Limits noneconomic damages that may be recovered in medical tort actions. Limits the amount of attorney’s fees that may be collected in connection with a medical tort action.
• Senate Bill 2413 - Repeals the health insurance rate filing requirements in order to charge health care insurance companies the responsibility of determining their own rates.
• Senate Bill 2414 - Authorizes the Legislative Reference to study two segments of health care in Hawaii: (1) mandatory employee benefits; and (2) state-sponsored portions of medicaid-assisted programs; makes appropriation.
• Senate Bill 2415 - Authorizes prescriptive authority for qualified psychologists who practice at a federally qualified health center.
• Senate Bill 2416 - Requires the department of health to establish and administer the water fluoridation pilot program in Maui county to adjust the amount of naturally occurring fluoride in the water to a level that will benefit oral health. Makes appropriations.
• Senate Bill 2417 - Requires a study of health care adequacy on Maui, including regional health information organization establishment; establishes a tax credit providing an incentive for health care providers to furnish services and health care training on Maui. Makes appropriation.
• Senate Bill 2418 - Reorganizes the certificate of need process by eliminating the review panel and the statewide health coordinating council and by renaming the subarea health planning councils to regional health planning councils.