STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1807_______

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

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




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 S.B. No.
844, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled: 

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to pursue mental health and
substance abuse parity in health insurance by establishing 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.

     Kaiser Permanente, the Hawaii Medical Association, the
Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, United Self-Help, the
Hawaii State Alliance for the Mentally Ill, the Very Big Mental
Health Consumer Sandwich Group, the Mental Health Association of
Hawaii, the Hawaii Psychological Association, the Equal Insurance
Coalition, and several individuals testified in support of this
measure.  The Department of Health testified in support of the
intent of this measure.  The Department of Commerce and Consumer
Affairs, the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, and the Hawaii
Government Employees Association commented on this measure.

     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 S.B. No.
844, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.


 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1807_______
                                 Page 2

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair