STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1571

                                 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 Consumer Protection and Commerce, to which
was referred H.C.R. No. 12, H.D. 1, entitled:

     "HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE ON
     AGING, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HOSPICE HAWAII, TO EDUCATE
     HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON THE BENEFITS
     OF HOSPICE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to urge the
Executive Office on Aging, in partnership with Hospice Hawaii, to
educate healthcare providers and the general public on the
benefits of hospice.

     Your Committee finds that the importance of hospice care at
the end of life is not only valuable to the person dying, but to
the person's family and friends.  The setting for the final days
of a loved one can occur in a comfortable place that both accepts
death and prepares the survivors for the psychological and
physical separation.  Unfortunately, hospice is not widely
accepted by the general population or the medical community and
educational efforts can help to remedy this situation.
Therefore, your Committee finds that this concurrent resolution
will promote efforts that could go a long way toward increasing
use of hospice by dying patients.


 
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                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1571
                                 Page 2

 
     Your Committee received supporting testimony from the Hawaii
Catholic Conference and the Hawaii Medical Association.  The
Hawaii Catholic Conference asked that the Executive Office on
Aging look into cost factors associated with hospice care and
ways to make it financially possible to expedite such care.  Your
Committee concurs that cost factors may be important to a family
considering hospice care.

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose
of H.C.R. No. 12, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to
the Committee on Finance.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   RON MENOR, Chair

 
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