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. 792, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

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

The Hawaii Nurses' Association and a private citizen submitted testimony supporting this measure. Comments on the measure were submitted by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and the Hawaii Association for Physicians Indemnity.

Your Committee finds that the promotion of collegial relationships between APRNs and physicians is a desired practice within the State. However, the current practices of insurance providers to either charge physicians a surcharge or otherwise penalize them through such means as canceling malpractice coverage defeats this objective of collegiality. To facilitate the ability of APRNs to provide services within the community, insurance providers should be prohibited from continuing their current discriminatory practices.

Your Committee has amended the measure by extending the effective date to July 1, 2050 to ensure ongoing discussion on this issue.

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. 792, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 792, S.D. 2.