Bill Text: HI HB862 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Hawaii Health Corps; Loan Repayment Program ($)

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-12-17 - Carried over to 2016 Regular Session. [HB862 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2016-HB862-Introduced.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

862

TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to the hawaii health corps loan repayment program.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that many residents of Hawaii are increasingly unable to obtain timely and appropriate health care due to shortages of primary health care providers in the State.  These shortages threaten the health of Hawaii's residents and affect state health care costs.  These shortages have pushed the federal government to designate a number of areas in the State, particularly rural areas, as medically underserved areas, health professional shortage areas, or as having medically underserved populations.

     The legislature further finds that the increasingly high cost of health care professional education requires individuals to seek out the higher incomes that allow them to repay their student loans.  However, these higher incomes are usually acquired in specialty care in urban areas, not in the areas of greatest need in Hawaii.  Since September 1, 2012, a total of sixteen physicians and nurse practitioners have received loan repayment to work in health professions shortage areas in Hawaii and are still serving these communities through a loan repayment program started by the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine.  The program was started with private donations and matching federal funding.

     The purpose of this Act is to fund the Hawaii health corps loan repayment program under the John A. Burns School of Medicine to provide loan repayment for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, psychologists, and social workers who agree to work in a federally designated health professions shortage area or in an area of Hawaii found to be underserved.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,000,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015-2016 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 for the implementation and administration of the Hawaii health corps loan repayment program.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the John A. Burns school of medicine of the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2015.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Hawaii Health Corps; Loan Repayment Program

 

Description:

Appropriates moneys for the implementation and administration of the Hawaii health corps loan repayment program.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

 

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