STAND. COM. REP. NO.  391-20

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2020

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2249

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Human Services & Homelessness and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2249 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAID BENEFITS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to address the lack of access to dental coverage and oral health care needs in the State by appropriating funds to restore diagnostic, preventive, and restorative dental benefits to adult Medicaid enrollees; provided that the Department of Human Services obtains maximum federal matching funds available for this expenditure.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, Hawaii Public Health Institute, The Queen's Health Systems, Ohana Health Plan, Save Medicaid Hawaii, AARP Hawaii, Hoola Lāhui Hawaii, Hawaii Family Caregiver Association, Hawaii State Rural Health Association, Pono Hawaii Initiative, Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hui No Ke Ola Pono, Aloha Independent Living Hawaii, Easterseals Hawaii, Full Life, Hawaii Oral Health Coalition, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks!, Hawaii Health & Harm Reduction Center, Kokua Kalihi Comprehensive Family Services, Hawaii Dental Service, Hawaii Dental Association, AlohaCare, Disability Rights Hawaii, and numerous individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and Hawaii Primary Care Association.

 

     Your Committees find that Ohana Health Plan and AlohaCare will no longer be able to offer their plans to residents on the neighbor islands.  As such, it is imperative to fund basic dental health.  Your Committees recognize that oral health has a direct correlation to a person's overall health.  This measure will help restore essential dental benefits to adult Medicaid enrollees, thereby improving the well-being of individuals and reducing costs due to emergency room visits for dental problems and other acute and chronic health conditions that are linked to oral disease.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing its effective date to December 31, 2059, to encourage further discussion; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services & Homelessness and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2249, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2249, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair

 

____________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair