Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 2290, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to exempt persons who hold certain American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) credentials, from independent bill reviewer domicile, examination, experience, and training license requirements.

AHIMA and the Health Information Management Association testified in support of this bill. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) commented on the bill, stating that it was unable to support the measure without additional information from AHIMA about its credentials.

Your Committee finds that applicants for an independent bill reviewer license must meet domicile, experience, and training requirements, and take an examination administered by DCCA. However, applicants who hold the credential of a certified professional coder granted by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) are exempt from these requirements.

Your Committee further finds that to obtain an AHIMA credential as a registered health information administrator, registered health information technician, certified coding specialist, or certified coding specialist-physician based, applicants must pass an examination that, among other things, tests bill reviewing competency. AHIMA testified that its examinations are more difficult than AACP's, but due to an inadvertent oversight, persons with an AHIMA credential have not been granted a similar exemption from the examination.

Upon further consideration, and pending complete review of the matter by DCCA, your Committee has amended this measure to accurately reflect AHIMA credential titles by:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2290, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2290, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.