STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2697

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2213

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2213, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE NURSING FACILITY SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to continue and appropriate funds for the nursing facility sustainability program for fiscal year 2016-2017.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Primary Care Association, The Queen's Health Systems, and Hawaii Pacific Health.

 

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

 

     Your Committee finds that ensuring that nursing facilities remain financially viable is crucial for Hawaii residents to continue to have access to long term care resources.  Your Committee notes that Medicaid patients make up the majority of nursing facilities' patient population, and Medicaid payments are less than the actual costs of care.  Your Committee recognizes that the nursing facility sustainability program increases Medicaid payments to Hawaii's nursing facilities and has successfully helped these facilities to offset some of the losses that they incur while caring for the most underserved patients.  Accordingly, your Committee finds that this measure will enable the nursing facility sustainability program to continue supporting the crucial services provided by nursing facilities.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the repeal date of the nursing facility program special fund from December 31, 2016, to December 31, 2017; and

 

     (2)  Exempting the nursing facility program special fund for another year from paying for the costs associated with administering the special fund that would otherwise be imposed pursuant to sections 36-27(a) and 36-30(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2213, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2213, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair