STAND. COM. REP. NO.2848
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2002
RE: H.B. No. 1867
H.D. 1
S.D. 1
Honorable Robert Bunda
President of the Senate
Twenty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2002
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1867, H.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR HEALTH CARE FOR THE UNINSURED,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is to provide health care for the uninsured, particularly those suffering economic hardships resulting from the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Specifically, this measure appropriates funds as follows:
(1) Unspecified general funds to be matched by federal funds on a 2:1 basis, to enable the Children's Health Insurance Program to expand eligibility to 300 percent of the poverty level guideline for Hawaii;
(2) Unspecified general funds to be matched by federal funds on a 9:1 basis, to delink Medicaid and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF); and
(3) Unspecified general funds for community health centers in the State to provide health care services to the uninsured.
Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawai'i Primary Care Association, and the Kokua Council. The Department of Human Services submitted testimony in support of the intent of the bill.
Your Committee finds that the recent economic hardship experienced by many families in Hawaii, has primarily impacted our most vulnerable citizens, our children. Your Committee further agrees that in order to ensure that our children have access to essential health care services, the State safety net needs to be expanded with the concomitant understanding that the State should pursue federal reimbursement as appropriate.
Your Committee has amended this bill by:
(1) Deleting inaccurate language in Section 4 of the measure related to loss of health benefits under Temporary Assistance to Needy Families;
(2) Clarifying that the appropriation for community health centers should be expended by the Department of Health, which is the state agency to which community health centers are attached; and
(3) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of consistency and style.
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 H.B. No. 1867, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1867, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,
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____________________________ DAVID MATSUURA, Chair |
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