HILO — A bill that would further fund Hilo Medical Center’s interventional cardiac program has stalled in the final stages of the legislative process.
Senate Bill 911, introduced by Sen. Kai Kahele (D-Hilo) and co-sponsored by fellow Sens. Dru Kanuha (D-Kona, Ka‘u) and Russell Ruderman (D-Puna), had crossed over to the House for consideration last month.
An amended version was passed by the House, but as of Thursday, the measure has not been called to a conference committee, which is where Senate and House leaders work out differences between their versions.
HMC received $1.5 million from the state Legislature during its 2018 session to help bring the cardiac catheterization program online and was seeking additional funding for the program in the upcoming biennium budget.
HMC has long been working to treat cardiac patients closer to home and earlier this year hired cardiologist Carl Juneau.
Ruderman said the House “seems to have refused to meet on this subject,” and because of that, the bill is dead for procedural reasons.
“I think it’s tragic because Hilo needs this so much,” he said. “I think a lot of people here on Oahu don’t understand what it’s like to have just one option for an emergency room or hospital and perhaps don’t understand the number of people who will die due to the delays in medical treatment if they have to continue to be flown to Honolulu.”
The legislation was a “very high priority” for everyone in East Hawaii and the statewide medical system in general, Ruderman said.
“I think it’s tragic and, not to make a pun, it’s heartbreaking. It’s heartbreaking this wouldn’t be funded,” he said. “Sometimes people play games with bills, but a bill like this, that saves heart attack victims, shouldn’t be among the bills people are playing games with. It’s just wrong.”
Lisa Rantz, executive director of the nonprofit Hilo Medical Center Foundation, said “it’s a sad day for our community. It brings tears to my eyes, just having to go out to our community and let them know (the legislation) is stalled, because we have such huge champions and this is a program that will save lives. People won’t have to die without the intervention.”
Rantz said the foundation is grateful to the community, “and we’ll continue the good fight. We’ll keep pushing to locate funding to keep this program going, because we won’t stop.”
“Hilo Medical Center is disappointed that SB 911, the bill to fund our interventional cardiac program, is stalled at the end of the legislative session,” HMC spokeswoman Elena Cabatu said in a written statement.
“Over the next year, we are committed to keeping the doors open on this lifesaving service to stop heart attacks in progress,” she continued. “Our community is depending on us, and state funding next year will be absolutely necessary to provide the level of cardiac care that the residents of the Big Island should expect for themselves and their loved ones.”
Kahele, however, said he is still hopeful that the Legislature will call a conference.
“It’s a little concerning that we haven’t convened conference on it yet, but I’m still holding out and hopeful there is still some time,” he said.
If state funds are not allocated, program funding for the 2019-20 fiscal year will come from the hospital.
Cabatu said the program is still on track to expand. Two more interventional cardiologists, Dr. Jamison Wyatt and Dr. James Smith, are set to join the HMC staff this summer.
Another bill seeking funding for the same initiative, House Bill 527, crossed over to the Senate in March but was never heard by the committees to which it was referred.
Email Stephanie Salmons at ssalmons@hawaiitribune-herald.com.