STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1233

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.C.R. No. 26
                                        S.D. 1




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

Sir:

     Your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and
Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 26
entitled:

     "SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO
     STUDY THE SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF MANDATING THE
     INCLUSION OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY WITHIN MENTAL
     HEALTH AND ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT INSURANCE
     BENEFITS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request a sunrise review
on the social and financial effects of requiring health plan
benefits for the treatment of mental health, and alcohol and drug
dependency to include marriage and family therapy.  

     Two individuals presented testimony in support of the
measure.  Although not present, Hawaii Biodyne, Inc., Benefit
Capital Financial Services, Inc., and numerous individuals
submitted written testimony in support of the measure.  The
Hawaii Psychological Association, though not present, submitted
written testimony in opposition to the measure.   

     Your Committees find that S.B. No. 860, H.D. 1, which was
passed by the Senate and is currently under consideration in the
House of Representatives,  proposes to amend chapter 431M, Hawaii
Revised Statutes (HRS), by broadening the scope of benefits
available under health plans for mental health, and alcohol and
drug abuse treatment to include marriage and family therapy.

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1233
                                   Page 2


Since this bill mandates the inclusion of a specific service or
health care provider as part of a health insurance plan, section
23-51, HRS, requires an Auditor's assessment of the mandate's
social and financial effects before the bill can be considered.
This measure would request the Auditor to conduct such an
assessment. 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding a provision referencing S.B. No. 860, H.D. 1, to
          clarify that a sunrise review is being requested
          pursuant to legislative consideration of a specific
          related bill; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments. 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Health and
Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees
concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 26, as amended
herein, and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on
Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 26,
S.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committees on Commerce and
                                   Consumer Protection and Health
                                   and Human Services,



____________________________       ______________________________
SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair        BRIAN KANNO, Co-Chair



                                   ______________________________
                                   BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair

 
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