Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 54 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to maximize the amount of funding available to support state delinking activities aimed at enrolling eligible families in medical assistance programs.

Testimony in support of the measure was received from the Department of Human Services, Kokua Council, Kokua Kalihi Valley, Hawaii State Primary Care Association, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, and Kaiser Permanente.

Federal law delinked the federal financial assistance program and the state medical assistance program. To ensure that eligible families affected by the delink are enrolled in medical assistance programs and have access to health coverage, federal matching funds have been made available to assist the states in providing outreach, upgrading computer software, and increasing staffing. In order to take advantage of these federal funds, this measure appropriates state funds for delinking activities.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 54 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.