STAND. COM. REP. NO. 900

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 569

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 569, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAID,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require Medicaid recipients to re-enroll annually;

 

     (2)  Establish a Joint Legislative Medicaid Task Force; and

 

     (3)  Require reimbursement parity for Medicaid beneficiaries in the same level of care in a community-based facility.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Alliance of Residential Care Administrators and one individual.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services, Hawaii Medical Service Association, AlohaCare, Ohana Health Plan, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Medical Association, and Hawaii Long Term Care Association.

 

     Your Committees find that QUEST faced an extensive budgetary shortfall last legislative session.  Your Committees further find that the Department of Human Services has suggested a number of ideas for reducing Medicaid costs.  A Joint Legislative Task Force on Medicaid would identify the reasons for, and offer resolutions to, recent Medicaid shortfalls.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of the Joint Legislative Task Force on Medicaid from several organizations.  Your Committees note that S.B. No. 425, S.D. 2, which also establishes a Joint Legislative Task Force, was heard by your Committee on Human Services.

 

     After considering the testimony received, your Committees believe that S.B. No. 425, S.D. 3, addresses a need to create evidence-based health and wellness alternatives that reduce the incidence of chronic disease and support Medicaid recipients and QUEST members in maintaining healthier lifestyles, as well as the need to establish a Joint Legislative Task Force on Medicaid.

 

     Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting its contents and replacing them with the contents of S.B. No. 425, S.D. 3, which establishes a wellness pilot program within Medicaid, appropriates funds for its creation, and creates a Joint Legislative Task Force on Medicaid to examine issues related to Medicaid;

 

     (2)  Clarifying the types of groups that should be represented on the Joint Legislative Task Force on Medicaid; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 569, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 569, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 


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

 

____________________________

JOSH GREEN, M.D., Chair

 

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair