Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 792, S.D. 2, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to prohibit malpractice insurers from imposing a surcharge or discriminating against a physician or surgeon who enters into a professional collaboration with an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN).

The Hawaii Medical Association and Hawaii Nurses' Association testified in support of this measure. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Hawaii Association for Physicians Indemnity provided comments.

Your Committee finds that physicians who collaborate or enter into collegial agreements with APRNs have had to pay surcharges or had their malpractice insurance coverage cancelled. As a result, APRNs have had difficulty finding physicians willing to enter into collegial agreements, thereby hindering the ability of APRNs to adequately provide services within the community.

Your Committee has amended this bill by changing the effective date to July 1, 2020, to promote further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 792, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 792, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.