Bill Text: HI SB2751 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To Health.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-02-04 - The committee on HTH deferred the measure. [SB2751 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2022-SB2751-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2751 |
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THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to health.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Act 187, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012, established the Hawaii health corps program as a means of addressing the State's longstanding health care provider shortage. This program is aimed at increasing Hawaii residents' ability to obtain timely medical services by incentivizing family physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners to provide medical services in underserved and rural areas in the State in return for repayment of loans.
The legislature further finds that because of the impact of the "SARS-CoV-2" virus, there is an increased need across the State for the services provided by social workers and psychologists. However, under the current Hawaii health corps program, social workers and psychologists are ineligible to participate.
The purpose of this Act is to:
(1) Expand the Hawaii rural health care provider repayment program to include eligible social workers and psychologists;
(2) Make the department of health responsible for administration of the Hawaii rural health care provider repayment program; and
(3) Make an appropriation for the Hawaii rural health care provider repayment program.
SECTION 2. Section 309H-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding two new definitions to be appropriately inserted and to read as follows:
""Psychologist" means
a person licensed as a psychologist under chapter 465.
"Social worker" means a person licensed as a social worker under chapter 467E."
SECTION 3. Section 309H-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§309H-2 Hawaii health corps
program established. The Hawaii
health corps program is established to encourage physicians, physicians
assistants, psychologists, social workers, and nurse practitioners to
serve in counties having a shortage of physicians, physician assistants, psychologists,
social workers, and nurse practitioners, with priority given to a rural
area county. The Hawaii health corps
program shall be administered by the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school
of medicine [and the], University of Hawaii at Manoa school of
nursing and dental hygiene[.], and University of Hawaii at Manoa Thompson
school of social work and public health.
In administering the program, the University of Hawaii John A. Burns
school of medicine [and the], University of Hawaii at Manoa school
of nursing and dental hygiene, and University of Hawaii at Manoa Thompson school
of social work and public health shall:
(1) Adopt rules and develop guidelines to administer the program;
(2) Identify and designate areas of the counties where there is a shortage of physicians, physician assistants, psychologists, social workers, and nurse practitioners;
(3) Establish criteria for the selection by the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine of physicians, physician assistants, psychologists, and nurse practitioners and by the University of Hawaii at Manoa Thompson school of social work and public health of social workers to participate in the Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program;
(4) Define and determine compliance with the service commitments of the Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program;
(5) Collect and manage reimbursements from participants who do not meet their service commitments under the Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program;
(6) Publicize the program, particularly to maximize participation by individuals who live in areas of a county where there is a shortage of physicians, physician assistants, psychologists, social workers, and nurse practitioners;
(7) Solicit and accept grants and donations from public and private sources for the Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program, including maximizing the use of federal matching funds; and
(8) Establish criteria and procedures for calling Hawaii health corps program participants into service during an emergency or disaster."
SECTION 4. Section 309H-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"[[]§309H-3[]] Hawaii
rural health care provider loan repayment program. (a) There
is created within the Hawaii health corps program, the Hawaii rural health care
provider loan repayment program to be administered by the [University of
Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine and the University of Hawaii at Manoa
school of nursing and dental hygiene] department of health in partnership
with a lending financial institution whose operations are principally conducted
in Hawaii. The Hawaii rural health care
provider loan repayment program shall provide loan repayments to eligible
physicians, physician assistants, psychologists, social workers, and
nurse practitioners who make the service commitment under subsection (b). The [University of Hawaii John A. Burns
school of medicine and the University of Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing and
dental hygiene] department of health shall work with the University of
Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa school
of nursing and dental hygiene, and University of Hawaii at Manoa Thompson school
of social work and public health to identify loan payment amounts and loan repayment
program recipients. The department of health
shall make loan repayments directly to the financial institution under
subsection (b) to offset the loan repayment for which the Hawaii rural health
care provider loan repayment program recipient would otherwise be liable. Loan repayments shall commence upon the
commencement of loan repayments by the Hawaii rural health care provider loan
repayment program recipient to the lending financial institution. The [University of Hawaii John A. Burns school
of medicine and the University of Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing and dental
hygiene] department of health shall prioritize loan repayments in
accordance with the greatest specialty shortages for the particular county.
(b)
The Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program shall provide
loan repayments on behalf of licensed physicians, physician assistants, psychologists,
social workers, and nurse practitioners who agree to serve for five
consecutive years as a physician, physician assistant, psychologist, social worker,
or nurse practitioner in a county having a shortage of physicians, physician
assistants, psychologists, social workers, and nurse practitioners, with
priority given to a rural area of that particular county; provided that
eligible physicians, physician assistants, psychologists, social workers,
or nurse practitioners[, as applicable,] shall have graduated from a
duly accredited medical school or nursing school within the United States[;]
or received a degree in social work from an accredited university or college
within the United States, as applicable; provided further that preference
shall be given to graduates of the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of
medicine [or the], University of Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing
and dental hygiene, or University of Hawaii at Manoa Thompson school of social
work and public health, as applicable.
(c)
Eligible participants in the Hawaii rural health care provider loan [[]repayment[]]
program shall be determined by the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of
medicine [and the], University of Hawaii at Manoa school of
nursing and dental hygiene, and University of Hawaii at Manoa Thompson school
of social work and public health on a competitive basis and in accordance
with subsection (b).
(d)
If a Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program participant
fails to satisfy the recipient's service commitment under subsection (b), the
Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program participant shall be
liable for the repayment of the outstanding balance of the loan to the lending
financial institution under subsection (b).
In addition, the [University of Hawaii John A.
Burns school of medicine and the University of Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing
and dental hygiene] department of health may seek reimbursement
for any loan repayment made by the [University of Hawaii John A. Burns
school of medicine and the University of Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing and
dental hygiene] department of health on behalf of the Hawaii rural
health care provider loan repayment program participant.
(e)
In accordance with chapter 103D, the [University of Hawaii John A.
Burns school of medicine and the University of Hawaii at Manoa school of
nursing and dental hygiene] department of health may enter into
written contracts with collection agencies to collect delinquent reimbursements
of loan repayments. All payments
collected, exclusive of a collection agency's commissions, shall revert and be
credited to the University of Hawaii John A.
Burns school of medicine and the University of Hawaii at Manoa school of
nursing and dental hygiene] department of health to collect delinquent
reimbursements of loan repayments pursuant to this section may collect a
commission from the debtor in accordance with the terms of, and up to the
amounts authorized in, the written contract."
SECTION 5. Section 309H-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§309H-4 Hawaii health corps first responder service obligation. If an emergency or disaster proclaimed under chapter 127A occurs, physicians, physician assistants, psychologists, social workers, and nurse practitioners participating in the Hawaii health corps program may be ordered into service by the governor as first responders to serve in areas of the State and in a capacity determined by the director of health."
SECTION 6. Section 309H-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"[[]§309H-5[]]
Rules. The University of Hawaii John A. Burns school
of medicine [and the], University of Hawaii at Manoa school of
nursing and dental hygiene, University of Hawaii at Manoa Thompson school of
social work and public health, and department of health shall adopt rules
to administer this chapter. The rules
shall be adopted pursuant to chapter 91, but shall be exempt from public notice
and public hearing requirements."
SECTION 7. There is appropriated out of the Hawaii health corps fund the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the purposes of the Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 8. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 9. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2022.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Hawaii Health Corps Program; Hawaii Rural Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program; Psychologists; Social Workers; Appropriation
Description:
Expands the Hawaii health corps program and Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program to include incentives for psychologists and social workers. Makes the department of health responsible for administering the Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program. Appropriates funds.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
