CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT NO.66

                            Honolulu, Hawaii
                                            , 2000

                            RE:   S.B. No. 2655
                                  S.D. 2
                                  H.D. 2
                                  C.D. 1




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

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
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. 2655, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:  

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH," 

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 strengthen the patient's
bill of rights and responsibilities law.

     This measure is a result of the work of the Patients Bill of
Rights Task Force, established by Act 178, Session Laws of Hawaii
1998, to review various laws that may affect patient's rights in
this State.  The twenty members of the task force represent
various organizations and agencies of diverse interests.  This
measure contains the recommended legislation of the task force,
in response to Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 152, 1999,
requesting the task force to develop further legislation and
conduct a study of the term "medical necessity".

 
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     This measure protects the rights of children and adults
within the parameters of a health care plan's coverage and
benefits.  Your Committee on Conference has been assured that the
Task Force will continue its discussions and consider concerns
raised by the pediatric community regarding developmentally
disabled children, and also concerns raised by the psychiatric
community.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by
adding to the membership of the Task Force, the Hawaii
Psychiatric Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics,
and Family Voices.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your
Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your
Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 2655, 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. 2655, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the managers:

  ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE           ON THE PART OF THE SENATE



_____________________________     _______________________________
Rep. ALEX SANTIAGO                Sen. SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND
Co-Chair                          Co-Chair



_____________________________     _______________________________
Rep. RON MENOR                    Sen. BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI
Co-Chair                          Co-Chair



_____________________________     _______________________________
Rep. BRIAN Y. YAMANE              Sen. BRIAN KANNO
Co-Chair                          Co-Chair

 
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