DATE: 12/11/2007
Subject: Coconut Wireless Chapter Three of the Missing Million Dollars
Aloha Team AIHM,
This is the continuing saga of the missing million dollars.
We are waiting for final confirmation from Georgina Kawamura, State Director of Budget and Finance to confirm what people have told me. She must turn in the state budget by Monday, and therefore, is much too busy to help us until after that.
This is the hyperlink to the bill we have been discussing:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2005/bills/sb1447_.htm
Basically, it says that it is for general obligation bonds to fund the planning, development, and construction of a medical facility in West Maui to provide urgent care, emergency room, and long term care services. It was a bill in 2005.
It was to assess need (ya think?) of services for west Maui. UNFORTUNATELY, the money was given to HHSC to do this. As I have frequently said, much money comes out of West Maui to fund the county and the state. If a private hospital is developed in
West Maui, not only will the people have proper care, also, HHSC, Hawaiian Healthcare Systems Corporation will lose out on the West Maui money. I have been told that West Maui contributes 50% of the entire County and State revenues. So you see, West
Maui people, it isn’t that the government hospital system loves you and is concerned about your health. They are concerned with your wealth and your health insurance. A government hospital in West Maui will not only be unsuccessful like every other
government hospital in the country, it will be the mouth that feeds the monster = HHSC.
Senator Baker added the part where this money would be given to the state hospital system:
(4) Requiring the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation to partner with Maui Memorial Medical Center to carry out the project in cooperation with health care providers and other stakeholders in West Maui;
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2005/commreports/sb1447_sd1_sscr460_.htm
AIHM is confused as to why Senator Baker wants to spend our taxes on a government hospital which by its very nature is doomed to fail in the delivery of cost effective and quality healthcare over free enterprise and a private hospital. Oahu has lots
of private hospitals.
WEST MAUI NEEDS A SMALL PRIVATE HOSPITAL. If you would all just organize and give up your health insurance and give away your money, the state would be delighted to allow you to have a private hospital.
Wes Lo said he did spend between $200 thousand and $300 thousand on planning and demographics, etc., for a government hospital on West Maui. He is not sure of the exact amount. He does not have the plans in his procession yet. Mr. Lo stated that he
never requested the rest of the funds as he didn’t need to design the hospital until he had the land for the hospital.
So when Georgina Kawamura is done with her budget, we will obtain the facts on this. Representative Bertram also has offered to help track this money down. (Thanks Joe!) Meanwhile, we will continue to pursue the actual money and where it is.
So as of right now, we think that the state still has the funds. The funds will lapse into the general fund if not used by June 2008. Stay tuned.
AIHM MEMBERS AND OTHER MAUI COUNTY READERS: PLEASE REMEMBER TO SAVE THE DATE – JANUARY 16TH, 2008 IS OPENING DAY OF THE LEGISLATURE. THIS IS THE DAY WE WILL ALL GO OVER TO OAHU AND WE WILL TELL THE LEGISLATORS THAT WE NEED PRIVATE HOSPITALS OVER
HERE. PLEASE GET INVOLVED – IT WILL TAKE A LOT OF US TO CONVINCE THE LEGISLATURE THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS CINDERELLA TREATMENT ANYMORE. PLEASE EMAIL ME AT INFORMATION@AIHM-MAUI.ORG OR CALL ME AT 298-8886 AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU WILL BE
ATTENDING. ALSO, WE NEED TO GET FINAL ORDERS FOR OUR AIHM SHIRTS SO WE CAN GET THEM FINISHED IN TIME. WE NEED NUMBERS FOR GROUND TRANSPORTATION ON OAHU. COME ALONG AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Aloha,
Jan
VOTEVOTEVOTEVOTEVOTEVOTEVOTEVOTEVOTEVOTEVOTEVOTEVOTEVOTE
Jan Shields L.V.T., B.S.N., R.N.C.
Association for Improved Healthcare on Maui
P.O. Box 11420
Lahaina, Maui, HI 96761-6420
Email:
Information@AIHM-Maui.org
Cell: 808-298-8886
Fax: 808-573-5468