CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 158

                            Honolulu, Hawaii
                                            , 1999

                            RE:   S.B. No. 844
                                  S.D. 2
                                  H.D. 2
                                  C.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

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

Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the
Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives
in S.B. No. 844, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:  

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to
recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final
passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to establish the Hawaii equal
insurance task force to study the financial and social
implications of mandated equal mental health and substance abuse
insurance coverage in Hawaii.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee on Conference has
amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding a definition of "Serious mental illness";


 
a                                                     SB844 CD1  
 
 
                            CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 158
                            Page 2



     (2)  Clarifying that the provision relating to covered
          benefits shall not be construed to limit serious mental
          illness benefits;

     (3)  Prohibiting a health insurance plan from imposing
          rates, terms, and conditions if measures are not
          applied for other medical or surgical conditions, and
          providing for exemptions

     (4)  Revising the membership of the task force;

     (5)  Clarifying the duties of the task force; and

     (6)  Changing the time the task force is to report from the
          2000 Session to the 2001 Session.

     Your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent
and purpose of S.B. No. 844, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein,
and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached
hereto as S.B. No. 844, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted,

MANAGERS ON THE PART OF THE        MANAGERS ON THE PART OF THE
            HOUSE                             SENATE
                                   
                                   
                                   
______________________________     ______________________________
ALEXANDER C. SANTIAGO, Co-         SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Co-Chair
Chair                              
                                   
                                   
                                   ______________________________
______________________________     BRIAN KANNO, Co-Chair
RON MENOR, Co-Chair                
                                   
                                   
                                   ______________________________
______________________________     BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair
BERTHA C. KAWAKAMI, Co-Chair       
                                   
                                   
                                   ______________________________
______________________________     ROBERT BUNDA, Member
ROBERT N. HERKES, Member

 
a                                                     SB844 CD1  
                            CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 158
                            Page 3



                                   
                                   
                                   
______________________________     ______________________________
BERTHA F.K. LEONG, Member          SAM SLOM, Member


 
a                                                     SB844 CD1