THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2351

TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014

S.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO CHILDHOOD OBESITY.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that childhood obesity is a serious medical condition affecting the State's children and adolescents.  Childhood obesity often leads to health problems that were once limited to adults, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, body mass index is a reliable indicator of body fat.

     The purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Require primary care physicians and pediatricians to administer an annual body mass index measurement to children, beginning at the age of two years old, and report the data to the Hawaii health information exchange; and

     (2)  Establish mandatory coverage for body mass indexing for patients age two to eighteen.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 321, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§321-    Body mass index measurement.  (a)  Primary care physicians and pediatricians shall provide an annual body mass index measurement to every patient from age two to eighteen years.

     (b)  Physicians and pediatricians providing annual body mass index measurements shall collaborate via statewide health insurance claims data to annually report anonymous age and body mass index statistics to the Hawaii health information exchange, which shall maintain a statistical database of pediatric body mass indices by age for public health purposes.

     (c)  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, "body mass index" means the product of 703 and a person's weight, in pounds, divided by the square of the person's height, in inches."

     SECTION 3.  Chapter 431:10A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part I to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§431:10A-    Body mass index measurement.  (a)  All individual and group accident and health or sickness insurance policies shall cover annual body mass index measurements, as required by section 321-   , for every insured from age two to eighteen years.

     (b)  The term "body mass index" shall have the same meaning as in section 321‑   ."

     SECTION 4.  Chapter 432, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to article 1 to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§432:1-    Body mass index measurement.  (a)  All individual and group hospital and medical service corporation contracts shall cover annual body mass index measurements, as required by section 321-   , for every insured from age two to eighteen years.

     (b)  The term "body mass index" shall have the same meaning as in section 321‑   ."

     SECTION 5.  Section 432D-23, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§432D-23  Required provisions and benefits.  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, each policy, contract, plan, or agreement issued in the State after January 1, 1995, by health maintenance organizations pursuant to this chapter, shall include benefits provided in sections 431:10-212, 431:10A-115, 431:10A-115.5, 431:10A-116, 431:10A-116.2, 431:10A-116.5, 431:10A-116.6, 431:10A-119, 431:10A-120, 431:10A-121, 431:10A-122, 431:10A-125, 431:10A-126, [431:10A-122, and 431:10A-116.2,] and 431:10A‑   , and chapter 431M."

     SECTION 6.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 7.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050; provided that this Act shall apply to all health plan contracts issued or renewed in this State on or after January 1, 2015.


 


 

Report Title:

Child Obesity; Body Mass Index; Mandatory Coverage

 

Description:

Requires primary care physicians and pediatricians to provide an annual body mass index measurement to patients from age two to eighteen years.  Requires primary care physicians and pediatricians to annually report anonymous age and body mass index statistics to the Hawaii health information exchange.  Requires health plans to cover expenses related to body mass index measurement beginning on 1/1/2015.  Effective 7/1/2050.  (SD2)

 

 

 

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