STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1116

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.C.R. No. 12
                                     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 Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No.
12 entitled: 

     "HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
     SERVICES, MED-QUEST DIVISION, HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, AND
     HEALTH INSURERS TO MAKE HOSPICE CARE AVAILABLE AND
     EXPEDIENTLY TO THE DYING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to make hospice
care more widespread by, among other things, requesting the
Department of Human Services' (DHS) Med-QUEST Division, health
care providers, and health insurers to make hospice care more
available and offered more expediently to the dying.

     Hawaii Catholic Conference, the Commission on Persons with
Disabilities, the Hawaii Nurses' Association, Hawaii Family
Forum, and the American Association of Retired Persons submitted
testimony in support of this measure.  The Executive Office on
Aging and the Hawaii Medical Association submitted testimony in
support of the intent of this measure.  DHS submitted comments.

     According to hospice providers, people are entering hospice
care only when death is imminent.  While hospice currently allows
a six-month stay, hospice participants spend, on average, only 18
days in the program before their death.  Your Committee believes
that utilization needs to be improved.


 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1116
                                 Page 2

 
     Although this measure, as written, is a suitable way of
making hospice care more available, your Committee finds that:

     (1)  The cost implications are too great; and

     (2)  Educating healthcare providers and the public about
          hospice care is urgently needed.

     Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure by
deleting its substance and replacing it with language urging the
Executive Office on Aging, in partnership with Hospice Hawaii, to
educate healthcare providers and the general public on the
benefits of hospice.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your
Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 12,
as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the
Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce in the form
attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 12, H.D. 1.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   ALEXANDER C. SANTIAGO, Chair