2020-02-24 Letter to Sylvia Luke and Ty J.K. Cullen HB 1977, HD1 Relating to Physician Shortage (2)

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ot11•5s 'Ik., Roy Takemoto 4', Managing Director .�.1'`�i _ Harry Kim ,+: �- .'i• 19m_'or %-_-4: "'''. •i'° __=a: Barbara J. Kossow f141;Mi:.;:;:e.--*.- N ' :* :.;:;: Deputy Managing Director County of Hawaii Office of the Mayor 25 Aupuni Street,Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 • (808)961-8211 • Fax(808)961-6553 KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg C • Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i 96740 (808)323-4444 • Fax(808)323-4440 February 24, 2020 Representative Sylvia Luke, Chair Representative Ty J.K. Cullen, Vice Chair Committee on Finance Dear Chair Luke, Vice Chair Cullen, and Committee Members: RE: HB 1977, HD1 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, HD1 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 (HB 2228 or SB 2542) during this legislative session. Whether funding medical students is also a good way to go, I defer to others, although I would note that HD1 creates something of a dilemma, in that it presumably wouldn't want to discriminate against our own, and so would wind up either funding much if not most of JABSOM, or driving our students away from JABSOM so they could qualify for the grant. I don't know if the State is prepared to take on that expense. Thank you for this opportunity to testify. R spectfully Submitted, 7i ,,,, Ali—j 4 Harry K MAYOR County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.