Bill Text: HI SB2645 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Waives medical licensing fees provided that no less than twenty per cent of their patient case load is Medicaid or Medicaid-like patients.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-02-09 - (S) The committee on HMS deferred the measure. [SB2645 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2010-SB2645-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2645 |
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TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to healthcare.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Doctors are critical components of our society, providing a very important service to everyone in the State, and it is the job of the legislature to ensure that the State provides the best quality of life possible for all of its residents. Addressing the needs and concerns of healthcare providers is a key step toward keeping Hawaii healthy.
Over the years a number of doctors have retired or left Hawaii, especially the neighbor islands, citing reasons that include high medical malpractice insurance rates, low insurance reimbursement rates, and the high cost of living. Hawaii has been unable to replace these doctors in a manner that provides Hawaii residents timely access to adequate healthcare.
Furthermore, in addition to the general shortage of doctors in Hawaii, many of the remaining physicians are reluctant to accept and treat medicaid patients, making it even more difficult for this particular population to receive medical services on both a regular and emergency basis.
The purpose of this Act is to address the shortage of physicians who are willing to accept medicaid patients by waiving the medical licensing fees of a physician if at least twenty per cent of the physician's total patient case load consists of medicaid patients and medicaid-like patients.
SECTION 2. Section 453-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§453-6 Fees;
expenses. (a) No applicant shall be examined under this chapter until the
applicant has paid to the board application, examination, and license fees[.];
provided that license renewal and application fees shall be waived for any
applicant if at least twenty per cent of the applicant's total patient case
load consists of medicaid or medicaid-like patients accepted and treated by the
applicant. The board may provide separate fees for licensure by endorsement
and for limited and temporary licenses.
(b) Every physician or surgeon holding a
license under this chapter shall renew the license with the board no later than
January 31 of each [even numbered] even-numbered year. Every
osteopathic physician or surgeon holding a license previously issued under
chapter 460 and this chapter shall renew the license with the board no later
than June 30 of each even-numbered year. Every physician, osteopathic
physician, or surgeon shall pay a renewal fee, unless the fee has been
waived pursuant to subsection (a), and comply with the category 1 or 1A
continuing medical education requirements provided in rules adopted by the
board.
(c) A physician, osteopathic physician, or surgeon shall meet the category 1 or 1A continuing medical education requirements by obtaining credit hours in a category 1 or 1A continuing medical education program accredited by the American Medical Association or the American Osteopathic Association or in other approved category 1 or 1A continuing medical education as provided in the board's rules. To determine compliance, the board may conduct a random audit. A physician, osteopathic physician, or surgeon selected for audit shall be notified by the board. Within sixty days of notification, the physician, osteopathic physician, or surgeon shall provide to the board documentation to verify compliance with the category 1 or 1A continuing medical education requirements.
(d) Failure to renew, pay the renewal fee, and, in the case of audited physicians, osteopathic physicians, or surgeons, provide documentation of compliance shall constitute a forfeiture of license, which may be restored only upon the submission of written application therefor, payment to the board of a restoration fee, and, in the case of audited physicians, osteopathic physicians, and surgeons, documentation of compliance.
(e) A license that has been forfeited for one renewal term shall be automatically terminated and cannot be restored, and a new application for licensure shall be required.
(f) For purposes of this section, "medicaid-like" means any state-funded program established by the department of human services to provide medical assistance to certain groups that would not otherwise qualify for medicaid, up to three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level."
SECTION 3. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun, before its effective date.
SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2010.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Waives medical licensing fees provided that no less than twenty per cent of their patient case load is Medicaid or Medicaid-like patients.
Description:
Waives the medical licensing fees for physicians licensed to practice medicine and prescribe prescription medication in the State of Hawaii, provided that no less than twenty per cent of their patient case load is Medicaid or Medicaid-like patients.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
