Maui leaders 'surprised' by veto threat

Bill would provide more independence to state hospitals

The Maui News
Thursday, July 2, 2009

By BRIAN PERRY, City Editor

WAILUKU - Some Maui state lawmakers and Maui Memorial Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Wesley Lo said they were surprised that Gov. Linda Lingle had put a bill to provide more independence to state hospitals on her list of potential vetoes.

In comments attached to her list of bills facing vetoes, Lingle said that Senate Bill 1665 "makes major changes to the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation structure, which could have an adverse impact on the delivery of health care on the Neighbor Islands."

The governor did not elaborate on how the restructuring could have an adverse impact.

"We are actually pretty surprised that our bill is on the list," Lo said, adding that the bill had broad input from lawmakers, regional hospital leaders, unions and community members. "They believe it has the most potential for improving health care by creating the flexibility to react to a changing health care environment. We hope that she will reconsider this action."

The bill would give more independence and local control to hospitals and allow them to reduce patient care services without state approval. Hospitals still would be required to maintain basic services, especially those for the elderly and the poor.

At Maui Memorial, the measure would allow it to form partnerships with private entities, to negotiate its own labor contracts, permit it to take out loans or revenue bonds, to participate in municipal leases and to manage its own funds.

State Sen. Roz Baker, whose district includes West and South Maui, said she was hoping that the hospital bill was one of many bills the governor is either uncertain of or needs more information about.

Baker said that the governor could contact Maui Memorial officials or those in the Legislature who supported the measure to answer any questions or address any misgivings she might have.

The bill was "overwhelmingly supported by the community, doctors and administrative personnel at the hospital," she said. "We really think it's the next logical step to give the hospitals the operational flexibility to develop a sustainable plan for the future. It's something we need on Maui. . . . We've got to make sure our citizens have access to good quality health care."

State Sen. J. Kalani English, who represents Upcountry, East Maui, Molokai and Lanai residents, said it was ironic that Lingle would threaten to veto a bill that would allow more local self-rule when she has been an advocate for more local autonomy.

"We worked really hard and had long meetings to come up with this bill," he said. "There's really no reason to veto this bill."

English said he was confident there were enough votes in the Senate to override the governor's veto of the hospital bill. State Rep. Joe Souki, who represents Kahakuloa, Wailuku and Waikapu residents, said he believes the House also would override a veto.

"It seems that we have the ability to override her if she does veto it," he said. "I'm very surprised that she's even considering vetoing this bill."

West Maui state Rep. Angus McKelvey said that the bill would improve health care services on the Neighbor Islands by freeing hospitals from Hawaii Health Systems' bureaucracy in Honolulu.

"I don't see how it negatively impacts health care services on the Neighbor Islands," he said.

State lawmakers are planning to return to the Capitol on July 15 for a one-day special session to override many of the governor's vetoes. Lawmakers need to muster a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate to override a veto by the governor.

* Brian Perry can be reached at citydesk@mauinews.com.

Original article URL: http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/520512.html

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