STAND. COM. REP. NO. 119

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require all health insurance plans in the State, including health benefits plans under chapter 87A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and Medicaid managed care programs, to provide coverage for the treatment for homelessness, beginning January 1, 2018.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from The Queen's Health Systems; Hawaii Association for Industrial-Organizational Psychology; Hoomana Pono, LLC; and four individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Department of the Attorney General, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Department of Human Services, and Hawaii Medical Service Association.

 

     Your Committees find that there is an integral link between health and housing, especially for individuals who are chronically homeless.  Without housing, individuals often struggle to address their health conditions, while people who are unable to address their health challenges often struggle to obtain and retain housing.  Furthermore, the costs to the entire continuum of care, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, and home-based services, for treating the State's homeless population continue to increase.  Your Committees also find that ensuring the availability of quality health care and preventive services can successfully mitigate increased future demand for high cost medical services.

 

     However, your Committees have heard the concerns that the health care system of providers, health plans, and hospitals, whose primary mission is the delivery of health care services, are not currently organized or structured in a way to appropriately address some of the relevant factors of homelessness, such as housing, employment, and economic status.  Your Committees understand these concerns and conclude a different approach to the treatment for homelessness is necessary.

 

     After discussions, your Committees have concluded that the Auditor should be directed to perform an impact assessment study on the use of Medicaid funds to provide coverage for the treatment for homelessness, including the costs to provide coverage for chronically homeless individuals.  Your Committees note that a study by the Auditor is the necessary next step in a potentially transformative approach for the treatment for homelessness in Hawaii.

 

     Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting language that would have required all health insurers in the State, including private insurers, health benefits plans under section 87A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and Medicaid managed care programs, to provide coverage for the treatment of homelessness, beginning January 1, 2018;

 

     (2)  Requiring the Auditor to conduct a study to assess the impact of using Medicaid funds to provide coverage for the treatment of homelessness, including the costs to provide coverage for the chronically homeless population in the State;

 

     (3)  Requiring the Auditor to submit findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2018; and

 

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

 

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

 

________________________________

JOSH GREEN, Chair

 

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair