State legislature discusses funding air ambulance program

Lawmakers continue discussion on a measure that would fund a statewide air ambulance program, bringing twin-engine helicopters to Hawai‘i, Kaua‘i and Maui Counties.

According to SB 3126 D1, the existing system of interisland transport of patients for health care services is overburdened with only one aeromedical provider for the state. The new program would create a cost-sharing partnership with the Department of Health bringing helicopters and funding to operate the program to Hawai‘i, Kaua‘i and Maui Counties.

Cost to start the program would be $18 million.

A public hearing is scheduled in three House committees on Tuesday: Health and Homelessness, Finance and Transportation. Hearings start at 11 a.m. Click here to watch the first meeting online. Click here to submit testimony.

The state’s sole aeromedical service, Global Medical Response, owns and operates Hawai‘i Life Flight and REACH, which is the medevac service on Maui.

“The Maui Medevac model is a great example of a public (State and County)-private (AMR and REACH) partnership and collaboration,” said Tiffany Lightfoot, who submitted testimony on behalf of Global Medical Response during the Senate committee hearings. “This EMS model has worked for 20 years to service rural Maui County and has proven to be an effective redundancy for our statewide aeromedical system. We, GMR, are supportive of a public-private collaboration.”

Hawai‘i County Fire Chief Kazuo Todd said interisland travel with a helicopter on each island would bolster support for a state response to an emergency, whether it’s medical, search and rescue, fire suppression or law enforcement.

Interisland aeromedical services would be modeled after Maui’s medevac service, where the legislature appropriated funds to buy a helicopter, a twin-engine bird with capability of medical transport between Maui and O‘ahu, in 2007.

The Department of Health cost shares the helicopter with Maui. Bills for services and private sector entities are contracted to provide the pilots, aircraft maintenance technicians, and the medical flight staff. The legislature finds that reliable aeromedical transport is essential.

If the bill passes, the Department of Health shall provide funds for the provision and maintenance of a rotary-wing aircraft; counties shall provide funds for the operations of the rotary-wing aircraft, including flight crew and medical staff; and the state and counties shall identify and document applicable federal regulations and jurisdictions, and shall amend the memorandum of agreement as necessary.

The bill requires cost-sharing for program operations and maintenance and revenue sharing between the state and Hawaiʻi, Kaua‘i and Maui Counties.