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                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1077

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 544
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No.
544 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SAFETY NET HEALTH PLANS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to protect access to health care
for Hawaii's poor and underserved populations by creating and
mandating the implementation of the Safety Net Health Plan
Program using QUEST funding.

     The Hawaii State Primary Care Association, Waimanalo Health
Center, Hawaii Nurses' Association, AlohaCare, the Waikiki Health
Center, and an individual testified in support of this measure.
The Department of Human Services, Hawaii Medical Service
Association, Queen's Health Management, Kaiser Permanente, and
the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center commented on this
measure.

     Your Committee has amended the bill by:

     (1)  Allowing, rather than mandating, the Department of
          Human Services to implement the Safety Net Health Plan
          program; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive revisions for style
          and clarity.


 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1077
                                 Page 2

 
     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
544, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading
in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 544, H.D. 1.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair