THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

77

THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

ENCOURAGING THE LEGISLATURE TO FUND THE HAWAII RURAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDER LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

 

 


     WHEREAS, many residents of Hawaii are increasingly unable to obtain timely and appropriate health care due to a shortage of primary health care providers in the State; and

 

     WHEREAS, these shortages threaten the health of Hawaii's residents and affect state health care costs and have also pushed the federal government to designate a number of areas in the State, particularly rural areas, as medically underserved areas, as health professional shortage areas, or as having medically underserved populations; and

 

     WHEREAS, the increasingly high cost of health care professional education often requires individuals to seek out the higher incomes that allow them to repay their student loans; however, these higher incomes are usually in specialty care in urban areas, not in the areas of greatest need in Hawaii; and

 

     WHEREAS, since September 1, 2012, at least twenty-five health care providers have received loan repayment to work in health professional shortage areas in Hawaii and are still serving these communities through the Hawaii Rural Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program started by the John A. Burns School of Medicine of the University of Hawaii using private donations and matching federal funding; and

 

     WHEREAS, further funding is needed to continue the Hawaii Rural Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program to provide loan repayment for physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners who agree to work in a federally designated health professional shortage area or an area of Hawaii found to be underserved; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirtieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2019, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Legislature is encouraged to fund the Hawaii Rural Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program administered through the John A. Burns School of Medicine of the University of Hawaii to provide loan repayment for physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners who agree to work in a federally designated health professional shortage area or an area of Hawaii found to be underserved; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the University of Hawaii System and Director of Health.

Report Title: 

Hawaii Rural Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program; University of Hawaii; John A. Burns School of Medicine;