STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2543

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2484
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B.
No. 2484, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAID RECOVERY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to clarify the functions of the
Medicaid fraud unit of the Office of the Attorney General to
allow it to enforce Medicaid fraud and other federal health
programs.

     Specifically, this bill enables the fraud unit to conduct an
elder abuse neglect and prevention program to increase public
awareness, train law enforcement agencies, and facilitate
cooperation throughout the State.  The bill also allows the
Medicaid investigations recovery fund to provide funding for the
abuse and neglect prevention program, provided that no special
funds are to be used if that use would jeopardize federal funding
or the operation of the Medicaid fraud unit.

     Your Committee finds that the federal government is
presently encouraging state agencies working on Medicaid fraud
prevention to also address elder abuse and its prevention.  It is
your Committee's intent to give the Medicaid fraud unit the
authorization and funding needed to fight elder abuse, without

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2543
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jeopardizing the unit's ability to continue to seek federal
funds.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No.
2484, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

                                 Respectfully submitted on behalf
                                 of the members of the Committee
                                 on Ways and Means,



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair

 
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