STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3196

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2899

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2899, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE MEDICARE CIVIL MONETARY PENALTY SPECIAL FUND,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide the Department of Health with the authority to determine the appropriate expenditure ceiling for the civil monetary penalty special fund under its control.

 

     Specifically, the measure:

 

     (1)  Repeals the $30,000 annual spending ceiling for moneys in the civil monetary penalty special fund, to align with the federal civil money penalty reinvestment program; and

 

     (2)  Allows the Department of Health to establish an appropriate spending ceiling through the state budget process.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that the removal of the civil monetary penalty special fund's annual spending ceiling will allow the Department of Health more flexibility in reinvesting moneys from the fund toward federally approved projects that benefit nursing home residents and that protect or improve the residents' quality of care or quality of life.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

 

     (2)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     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. 2899, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2899, S.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair