STAND. COM. REP. NO. 925

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LONG TERM CARE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to educate individuals about long term care.  Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Appropriates funds to the Department of Health's Executive Office on Aging to administer a public education and awareness campaign on long term care and obtain an independent evaluation of the campaign;

 

     (2)  Establishes the goals of the campaign;

 

     (3)  Allows the Executive Office on Aging to develop a public-private partnership to fund and administer the campaign; and

 

     (4)  Requires the Director of the Executive Office on Aging to submit a report on the evaluation of the campaign to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2016 Regular Session.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Aging, County of Hawaii Office on Aging, Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, AARP Hawaii, Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition, and seven individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that many Hawaii residents are unaware of or underestimate the risk of needing long term care in their lifetime.  The 2012 Hawaii Long Term Care Commission report concludes that unless residents have basic information about the risks and costs of long term care, it is unlikely that people will devote the time to develop a plan for their long term care or protect themselves by purchasing long term care insurance.

 

     Your Committee further finds that a public awareness campaign can help to create awareness of the need for financing mechanisms to pay for long term care, including a limited public social insurance program.

 

     Your Committee has heard testimony expressing concerns about the costs of a public education and awareness campaign on long term care and requests that your Committee on Ways and Means consider inserting an appropriation amount between $400,000 and $650,000.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair