CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO.82

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: H.B. No. 653

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

C.D. 1

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 653, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this bill is to eliminate the requirement that substance abuse treatment service providers under chapter 431M, Hawaii Revised Statutes, be certified as substance abuse treatment counselors by the Department of Health (DOH).

Your Committee finds that this measure addresses the following concerns:

(1) Unlike other medical services providers whose eligibility for reimbursement is determined by insurers, substance abuse providers are singled out for certification by DOH;

(2) DOH certification fails to recognize existing professional credentialing standards; and

(3) The DOH certification requirement may restrict substance abuse treatment access of individuals who live in rural areas.

Your Committee on Conference has made technical nonsubstantive amendments to this bill for the purpose of clarity.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 653, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 653, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________

DAVID M. MATSUURA, Chair

____________________________

KENNETH T. HIRAKI, Chair

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RON MENOR, Co-Chair