STAND. COM. REP. NO.  21-18

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2018

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1778

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1778 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION MEDICAL BENEFITS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to provide firefighters with improved access to comprehensive medical coverage for certain diseases arising out of and in the course of their employment when the workers' compensation claim is accepted or determined to be compensable.

 

     Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Requires private health care plans to pay for or provide medical care, services, and supplies to injured employees for controverted claims, subject to reimbursement by the employer of the employee for whom the claim is accepted or determined to be compensable; and

 

     (2)  Increases an employer's liability for medical costs for certain diseases, including diseases of certain organs.

 

     The Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Mayor of the County of Maui; Hawaii State Fire Council; Honolulu Fire Department; Maui Fire Department; Kauai Fire Department; Hawaii Fire Fighters Association, Local 1463, IAFF, AFL-CIO; and a concerned individual testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Department of Human Resources Development, and Hawaii Insurers Council provided comments on this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Changing its effective date to January 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on this measure; and

 

(2)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1778, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1778, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Public Employment,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair