STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1641

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1008

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1008, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILDREN'S HEALTH CARE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to establish the Hawaii children's health care program and the Hawaii infant care program as temporary three-year pilot programs to expand and monitor health care coverage for certain eligible children in Hawaii.

 

     Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Provides continuous, quality health care services to uninsured newborn children who are one day, but not more than thirty days of age through the Hawaii infant care program; provided that these children may enroll in the Hawaii children's health care program upon reaching thirty-one days of age;

 

     (2)  Provides health care coverage to certain uninsured children who are at least thirty-one days, but less than nineteen years old through a public‑private partnership between the Department of Human Services and one or more managed care plans operating in the State under chapter 432, Hawaii Revised Statutes, that offers accident and health or sickness insurance plans;

 

     (3)  Provides medical care free-of-charge for certain children less than nineteen years of age whose family income is at or below three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level for Hawaii;

 

     (4)  Provides medical assistance under QUEST-Net at no charge to children less than nineteen years of age whose family income is above two hundred fifty per cent and does not exceed three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level for Hawaii and who are otherwise eligible for QUEST-Net benefits;

 

     (5)  Requires the Department of Human Services to submit to the Legislature a report on the pilot programs prior to the convening of the 2008 Regular Session, and annually, thereafter; and

 

     (6)  Makes appropriations.

 

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Primary Care Association, the Hawaii Family Forum, the Roman Catholic Church in Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific Health, and the Hawaii Medical Services Association.  The Department of Human Services and the Attorney General offered comments.

 

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that children to be served must live in Hawaii to avoid the ambiguity of Hawaii residency requirements; and

 

     (2)  Changing all appropriated amounts to unspecified amounts for the purpose of facilitating further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1008, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1008, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair