STAND. COM. REP. NO.  951-14

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2469

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2469, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TELEHEALTH,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to improve access to health care services in the State by:

 

(1)  Requiring equivalent insurance reimbursement for services provided by a health care provider to a patient, regardless of whether the service is provided through telehealth or via face-to-face contact between health care provider and patient;

 

(2)  Clarifying the definition of health care provider for telehealth purposes; and

 

(3)  Replacing references to "telemedicine" with "telehealth" throughout the Hawaii Revised Statutes.

 

     The Department of Health, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Hawaii Association of Health Plans, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific Health, Hawaii State Center for Nursing, Hawaii Medical Association, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Nursing & Dental Hygiene, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Hawaii Association of Professional Nurses, and several individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Human Services and Hawaii Medical Board commented on this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2469, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2469, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair