STAND. COM. REP. NO.  202-16

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1897

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1897 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE COVERAGE OF HEALTH SCREENINGS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to ensure insurance coverage for sexually transmitted disease screenings, including screenings for human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, during a woman's annual pelvic exam.

 

     Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, and several individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Health, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund, Hawaii Medical Association, American Council of Life Insurers, Hawaii Section of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and an individual provided comments on this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Specifying that the insurance coverage requirement applies to annual screenings for all patients, instead of only to screenings provided to women in conjunction with an annual gynecological exam;

 

     (2)  Clarifying that the exemption from the screening coverage requirement applies to limited benefit health insurers described in section 431:10A-102.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

 

     (3)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2070, and specifying that the measure shall apply to policies, contracts, and plans of health insurance issued or renewed after January 1, 2018, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1897, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1897, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair