STAND. COM. REP. NO. 203

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 768

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 768 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IN VITRO FERTILIZATION INSURANCE COVERAGE,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide insurance coverage equality for women who are diagnosed with infertility by making available to them expanded treatment options, ensuring adequate and affordable health care services.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, and two individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Catholic Conference and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and Hawaii Medical Service Association.

 

     Your Committees find that infertility is a disease of the reproductive system that impairs and substantially limits an individual's major life activity of reproduction.  In the United States, infertility affects approximately seven million women and their partners, and approximately twelve percent of women of childbearing age have used an infertility service.  Since 1987, Hawaii has required insurance coverage for the treatment of infertility through in vitro fertilization.  However, existing law provides for only a one-time benefit; applies only to the insured or insured's spouse; requires fertilization with the sperm from the patient's spouse; requires a history of infertility for at least five years; requires previous attempts at pregnancy through other applicable infertility treatments for which coverage is available; and applies only to a limited number of medical conditions associated with infertility.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Amending the definition of "infertility" to be consistent with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and American Society for Reproductive Medicine; and

 

     (2)  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 Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 768, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 768, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection,

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

 

____________________________

JOSH GREEN, Chair