Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1321 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expand the definition of "serious mental illness" so that people with different types of serious mental illness will have access to treatment with continued parity reimbursement and treatment requirements.

Testimony supporting this measure was received from the Governor, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Department of Health, Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME, Local 152, AFL-CIO, Hawaii Psychological Association, Mental Health Association of Hawaii, National Association of Social Workers, Hawaii Nurses Association, Equal Insurance Coalition, NAMI Oahu, Blueprint for Change, Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, and six individuals. Testimony opposing this measure was received from the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii.

Specifically, this measure includes delusional disorder, bipolar types I and II, major depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and dissociative disorder as serious mental illnesses, and repeals the June 30, 2003, sunset date of the enabling provision in Act 243, Session Laws of Hawaii, requiring parity of serious mental illness health-insurance benefits with physical health insurance benefits.

Your Committee finds that existing law provides "parity" among the insurance benefits for services to treat serious mental illness and services for other medical or surgical conditions, but does not require parity in benefits for some of the most serious conditions, such as depression. This measure reaffirms the State's commitment to equal treatment for all of its citizens by eliminating distinctions that unfairly distinguish serious mental illness from other medical conditions, and making the parity requirement permanent.

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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1321 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.