Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1534 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the State, in addressing long-term care issues, to adopt certain general principles as a matter of state policy. Those area include:

(1) Reducing fragmentation;

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Human Services, the State Planning Council of Developmental Disabilities, The Executive Office of Aging, Hawaii Long Term Care Association, and Kokua Council. The Healthcare Association of Hawaii submitted comments on this measure.

Your Committees find that consumers of long-term care have found the system fragmented, inadequately funded, and overloaded. Your Committees further agree that the State should look at other models of service delivery and reimbursement. Therefore, your Committees are passing this measure in an attempt to address the many challenges of creating an effective and efficient long–term care system.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services and Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1534 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.