STAND. COM. REP. NO. 487

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 622
                                     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 Consumer Protection and Commerce, to which
was referred H.B. No. 622 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to change required mammographic
screening coverage for women ages 40 through 49 under health care
services policies, contracts, plans, and agreements, from every
two years, to annually.

     The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA),
Department of Health, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of
Women, Hawaii Catholic Conference, Hawaii Nurses' Association,
American Cancer Society, and Kaiser Permanente (Kaiser),
testified in support of this measure.

     Kaiser stated that a regular mammography screening can
dramatically reduce mortality from breast cancer, and the ACS
testified that it recommended that all women over 40 have annual
mammograms.

     DCCA suggested an amendment, testifying that it had been
advised by the Attorney General that the statutory schedule of
mammography screening under this bill would supersede any new
schedule of mammography screening adopted through rulemaking.
DCCA recommended either removing the statutory schedule, or
eliminating the DCCA's rulemaking authority.


 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 487
                                 Page 2

 
     Upon consideration of this bill, your Committee has amended
this measure to retain the statutory schedule for mammography
screening and to excise the DCCA's rulemaking authority.  Your
Committee has also made technical amendments to the insurance
provisions amended by the bill as suggested by the DCCA and for
purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce that is attached to
this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of H.B. No. 622, as amended herein, and recommends that
it be referred to the Committee on Finance, in the form attached
hereto as H.B. No. 622, H.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Consumer
                                   Protection and Commerce,



                                   ______________________________
                                   RON MENOR, Chair