§323D-12  Health planning and development
functions; state agency.  (a)  The state agency shall:



(1)  Have as a principal function the responsibility
for promoting accessibility for all the people of the State to quality health
care services at reasonable cost.  The state agency shall conduct such studies
and investigations as may be necessary as to the causes of health care costs
including inflation.  The state agency may contract for services to implement
this paragraph. The certificate of need program mandated under part V shall
serve this function.  The state agency shall promote the sharing of facilities
or services by health care providers whenever possible to achieve economies and
shall restrict unusual or unusually costly services to individual facilities or
providers where appropriate;



(2)  Serve as staff to and provide technical
assistance and advice to the statewide council and the subarea councils in the
preparation, review, and revision of the state health services and facilities
plan;



(3)  Conduct the health planning activities of the
State in coordination with the subarea councils, implement the state health
services and facilities plan, and determine the statewide health needs of the
State after consulting with the statewide council; and



(4)  Administer the state certificate of need program
pursuant to part V.



(b)  The state agency may:



(1)  Prepare such reports and recommendations on
Hawaii's health care costs and public or private efforts to reduce or control
costs and health care quality as it deems necessary.  The report may include,
but not be limited to, a review of health insurance plans, the availability of
various kinds of health insurance and malpractice insurance to consumers, and
strategies for increasing competition in the health insurance field.



(2)  Prepare and revise as necessary the state health
services and facilities plan.



(3)  Prepare, review, and revise the annual
implementation plan.



(4)  Assist the statewide council in the performance
of its functions.



(5)  Determine the need for new health services
proposed to be offered within the State.



(6)  Assess existing health care services and
facilities to determine whether there are redundant, excessive, or
inappropriate services or facilities and make public findings of any that are
found to be so.  The state agency shall weigh the costs of the health care
services or facilities against the benefits the services or facilities provide
and there shall be a negative presumption against marginal services.



(7)  Provide technical assistance to persons, public
or private, in obtaining and filling out the necessary forms for the
development of projects and programs.



(8)  Prepare reports, studies, and recommendations on
emerging health issues, such as medical ethics, health care rationing, involuntary
care, care for the indigent, and standards for research and development of
biotechnology and genetic engineering.



(9)  Conduct such other activities as are necessary to
meet the purposes of this chapter. [L 1975, c 159, pt of §2; am L 1976, c 152,
§3 and c 219, §3; am L 1977, c 167, §11 and c 178, pt of §2; am L 1980, c 75,
§3; am L 1982, c 245, §§1, 5; am L 1984, c 267, §4; am L 1987, c 270, §5; am L
1997, c 336, §4]



 



Note



 



  Transfer of functions, duties, and employees of dispersal
review council.  L 1992, c 261, §2.