STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3065

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2292

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2292, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES FOR THE MED-QUEST DIVISION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make an emergency appropriation to the Department of Human Services to address the budget shortfall in General Support for Health Care Payments (HMS 902) resulting from a delay in reimbursement from the Hawaii Health Connector.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services and Puna Community Medical Center.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Health Connector.

 

     Your Committee finds that the Department of Human Services provided funding and services to the Hawaii Health Connector to develop components of the health insurance exchange to be in compliance with the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act with the understanding that the Hawaii Health Connector would reimburse the Department of Human Services through the Hawaii Health Connector's own federal funds.  Your Committee further finds that while the Department's loaned funds are encumbered, it is unable to use these funds for its core operations.  This measure will ensure that the Department is able to fund its core operations and continue to serve its beneficiaries.

 

     Your Committee received testimony from the Department of Human Services indicating that, since the original emergency appropriation request, the Hawaii Health Connector has reimbursed the Department for some of the services and monies provided by the Department.  The Department's testimony indicates that the current balance outstanding due to the Department from the Hawaii Health Connector is $4,854,037.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Adding language reflecting the services and corresponding amounts for which the Department of Human Services has recently been reimbursed;

 

     (2)  Inserting an appropriation amount of $4,854,037;

 

     (3)  Making the effective date upon approval; and

 

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

 

     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. 2292, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2292, 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 Committee on Human Services,

 

 

 

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair