Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 128 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Auditor to study the social and financial impacts of requiring naturopathic care coverage for public employees.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Society of Naturopathic Physicians, Hawaii Medical Service Association, and five individuals.

Your Committee finds that naturopathy offers alternative forms of treatment not available through traditional medicine and that the inclusion of naturopathic treatments under health insurance coverage for public employees may prove more cost-effective in the treatment of certain conditions.

Before mandating this coverage, however, your Committee further finds that more information is needed regarding the impact of the proposed mandate. Therefore, this measure requests the Auditor to study the social and financial impacts of requiring health plan coverage for public employees that includes naturopathic services. Additionally, this measure requests the Auditor to conduct a review of states that grant prescriptive authority to naturopaths and health and safety issues related to this authority.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 128 and recommends its adoption.