HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-01-27 Letter to John M. Mizuno and Bertrand Kobayashi, HB 1977 Relating to Physician Shortage (2) -,/, OF H; Roy Takemoto
c •- Managing Director
Harry Kim
Mayor _-
Barbara J. Kossow
os•x►'�=` Deputy Managing Director
County of Hawaii
Office of the Mayor
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January 27, 2020
Representative John M. Mizuno, Chair
Representative Bertrand Kobayashi, Vice Chair
Committee on Health
Dear Chair Mizuno, Vice Chair Kobayashi, and Committee Members:
RE: HB 1977, Relating to Physician Shortage
Assuring a high quality of life in Hawaii is simple to say, and almost too obvious
a goal to highlight, but nevertheless it is the most important part of the task facing our
elected community leaders. For this reason alone, I want to thank and praise any effort
to deal with one of the most critical issues that we must confront, and that is our crisis in
healthcare caused by our physician shortage. We are justly proud of the Hawaii
Prepaid Healthcare Act, but how valuable is insurance if you cannot find a provider?
How can we expect our people, especially our aging population, to live comfortably, if
they believe that quality healthcare is only available if they have the time and ability to
travel to the mainland? How can we attract more providers when they realize they will
be expected to work extraordinary hours because there is not a reasonable number of
other providers to share the burden? And to what extent do we limit our primary
economic driver, tourism, when visitors are warned "Don't get sick in Hawaii"?
I am not smart enough to know how to solve our physician shortage problem,
especially whether HB 1977 is a partial answer. I am told, and do believe, that
eliminating the General Excise Tax on healthcare services would be a very positive step
in improving the economics for healthcare providers, and I hope you will address that
proposal during this legislative session. Whether partnering with the College of
Medicine of the University of Northern Philippines is also a good way to go, I defer to
others.
Thank you for this opportunity to testify.
Respectfully Submitted,
Harry Kim</
MAYOR
County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.