HSCR38

STAND. COM. REP. NO.38

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: H.B. No. 291

H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 291 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO QUEST MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to:

(1) Maximize the availability of federally matched funds to sustain the QUEST Medical Assistance Program (Quest Program); and

(2) Enables the Department of Human Services (DHS) to pay for QUEST services at federally qualified health centers at a rate not less than the amount paid to other providers in the same geographic area for comparable services.

Your Committee recognizes that the passage of this bill would result in additional funds to DHS through matching federal funds. In addition, this benefits federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and rural health centers (RHCs) under the QUEST program by supplementing payments that are currently incurred by the FQHCs and RHCs.

Testimonies in support of this measure were submitted by the Hawaii State Primary Care Association, Kokua Council, and Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (WCCHC). DHS supported the intent of this measure.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Replacing the appropriation amount with $1 to facilitate further discussion; 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 Human Services and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 291, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 291, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services and Housing,

		____________________________ MICHAEL P. KAHIKINA, Chair