STAND. COM. REP. NO.3327

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: S.C.R. No. 115

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 115 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER TO DO AN ACTUARIAL ANALYSIS OF THE UTILIZATION AND RATE IMPACTS, IF ANY, OF REINSTATING NATUROPATHY AMONG THE PERSONAL INJURY PROTECTION BENEFITS IN MOTOR VEHICLE INSURANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Insurance Commissioner to perform an actuarial analysis of the utilization and rate impacts, if any, of reinstating naturopathy among the personal injury protection benefits in motor vehicle insurance.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine, and Hawaii Society of Naturopathic Physicians. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from State Farm Insurance Companies.

Your Committee finds that presently, no reliable data exists to evaluate the claims of opposite sides of the debate over equal consideration of naturopathic medicine. The actuarial data will provide authoritative and objective guidelines by which a fair and informed decision can ultimately be made on the reinstatement of naturopathy in the motor vehicle personal injury protection insurance statute.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 115 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,

____________________________

DAVID MATSUURA, Chair