STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1255

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.R. No. 57

 

 

 

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 Human Services and Housing, to which was referred S.R. No. 57 entitled:

 

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING THE REESTABLISHMENT OF THE WORKING GROUP TO EXAMINE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND RISK ADJUSTMENT FOR MEDICAID, GAP-GROUP, AND UNINSURED INDIVIDUALS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the reestablishment of a working group to examine social determinants of health and risk adjustment for Medicaid, gap-group, and uninsured individuals.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Hawaii Primary Care Association.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

 

     Your Committees find that health is significantly affected by social determinants, even more so than genetic disposition and traditional medical care received.

 

     Your Committees further find that the Legislature adopted H.C.R. No. 146, H.D. 1, during the Regular Session of 2013, establishing a social determinants of health and risk adjustment working group.  The working group, which provided valuable insight into issues related to social determinants of health and risk adjustment for Medicaid, gap-group, and uninsured individuals, will cease to exist on June 30, 2015.  This measure urges the reestablishment of such a working group until June 30, 2017, to continue examining these issues.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 57 and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services and Housing,

 

________________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 

________________________________

JOSH GREEN, Chair