CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 139

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2009

 

RE:    S.B. No. 166

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam and Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 166, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE,"

 

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 measure is to ensure that oral chemotherapy treatments are covered by health insurance by requiring health insurance providers to provide parity of coverage for oral and intravenous chemotherapy.

 

     Your Committee on Conference finds that the most effective methods for cancer treatment should be available to all people.  This measure will ensure that individuals with limited economic means will be able to receive the most effective methods for cancer treatment that are available.

 

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that reimbursement is for all chemotherapy that is considered medically necessary as defined in section 432E-1.4, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

 

     (2)  Clarifying that reimbursement shall be at the same copayment percentage or relative coinsurance amount as is applied to intravenously administered chemotherapy;

 

     (3)  Exempting from the requirements of the measure accident only, specified disease, hospital indemnity, long-term care, or other limited benefit health insurance policies;

 

     (4)  Inserting conforming amendments to include not only individual and group accident and health or sickness policies in the reimbursement requirement, but also individual and group hospital and medical service plan contracts, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations;

 

     (5)  Changing the effective date to January 1, 2010; and

 

     (6)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of consistency, clarity, and style.

 

     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 S.B. No. 166, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 166, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

____________________________

SCOTT NISHIMOTO, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Co-Chair

____________________________

ROBERT N. HERKES, Co-Chair