STAND. COM. REP. NO. 424

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 1235
                                        S.D. 1




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

Sir:

     Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Commerce
and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 1235
entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is establish a temporary
Governor's Task Force on Alternative Medicine.

     The Department of Health presented testimony in support of
the measure's intent, but recommended that in lieu of
establishing a Task Force, the State continue to seek information
about alternative medicine though national and local
organizations.  The Insurance Commissioner, though not present at
the hearing, submitted written testimony supporting the measure's
intent and proposing that the alternative medicine issue be
reviewed by the Patient Rights and Responsibilities Task Force. 

      The Hawaii Nurses' Association presented testimony in
support of the measure and proposed an amendment to add a
professional nursing representative to the Task Force.  Two
individuals presented testimony in support of the measure and
proposed an amendment to include naturopathic physicians on the
Task Force.  The Hawaii Medical Services Association, although
not present at the hearing, submitted written testimony
supporting the measure and proposing that a health plan
representative be added to the Task Force. 


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 424
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     Your Committees find that a growing number of individuals
seeking treatment for a variety of medical conditions, including
HIV, cancer, arthritis, and back pain often turn to alternative
forms of treatment such as folk medicine, herbal medicine, diet
fads, homeopathy, faith healing, new age healing, chiropractic,
acupuncture, naturopathy, massage, aroma therapy, and music
therapy.  Your Committees further find that certain alternative
medical treatments, such as acupuncture, have achieved greater
medical acceptance than other types of treatment, and that the
record of treatment effectiveness in the field of alternative
medicine is uneven.

     This growth in the use of alternative forms of medical
treatment affects consumers, providers, and insurers, alike.
Your Committees believe that there is extensive research on the
efficacy of alternative medicine available to the Task Force.
The primary focus of the Task Force, then, should be to examine
the various forms of alternative medicine and make
recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature regarding the
ways to stimulate growth of alternative medicine.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Revising the make-up of the membership of the Task
          Force to add two members representing health insurers,
          and representatives of nurses and naturopaths;

     (2)  Deleting the requirement that the Task Force examine
          the efficacy or ineffectiveness of alternative
          medicine; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity
          and to reflect preferred drafting style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Health and Human Services and Commerce and Consumer
Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are
in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1235, as
amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the
form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1235, S.D. 1, and be referred to
the Committee on Ways and Means.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 424
                                   Page 3


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



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



_____________________________
BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair

 
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