STAND. COM. REP. NO. 884-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

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




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No.
2655, S.D. 2, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to strengthen the patient's
bill of rights and responsibilities law by:

     (1)  Establishing an expedited process for an appeal of a
          managed care plan's decision;

     (2)  Extending the time period to request an external review
          of a managed care plan's final determination; and

     (3)  Establishing standards for determining whether a health
          intervention is a medical "necessity."

     The Kokua Council, Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association,
Hawaii Government Employees Association, American Association of
Retired Persons, Queen's Health Management, Hawaii Coalition for
Health, and a concerned individual testified in support of this
measure.  The Patient Rights and Responsibilities Task Force and
Kaiser Permanente supported this bill with suggested amendments.
The Hawaii Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the
American Academy of Pediatrics, Hawaii Nurses' Association,
Department of Health, Hawaii Medical Services Association, and
Hawaii Medical Association submitted comments.  Testimony in

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 884-00
                                 Page 2

 
opposition was submitted by Hawaii Biodyne, Inc.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by replacing its
contents with the language of H.B. No. 2811, H.D. 1, a similar
bill that was reported out earlier this session by your
Committee.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has further
amended this bill by:

     (1)  Increasing the number of members on the Patient Rights
          and Responsibilities Task Force from twenty to twenty-
          five; and 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for
          purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No.
2655, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2655, S.D.
2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer
Protection and Commerce.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   ALEXANDER C. SANTIAGO, Chair