STAND. COM. REP. NO.1436
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2003
RE: S.C.R. No. 116
S.D. 1
Honorable Robert Bunda
President of the Senate
Twenty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2003
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committees on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 116 entitled:
"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING AN ACTUARIAL STUDY ON HEALTH INSURANCE PARITY FOR THE TREATMENT OF ALCOHOL DEPENDENCY AND DRUG DEPENDENCY,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to request an actuarial study on health insurance parity for the treatment of alcohol dependency and drug dependency.
Testimony supporting this measure was received from the Department of Health and Hawaii Psychological Association. Opposing testimony was received from Hawaii Medical Service Association. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs submitted comments on this measure.
Your Committees find that individuals in need of alcohol or drug dependency treatment are provided health insurance benefits that are limited and not in parity with insurance coverage for other health conditions. Fortunately, the State has mandated, through chapter 431M, Hawaii Revised Statutes (Chapter 431M), that health insurance providers provide insurance coverage for a minimum array of treatment services for these individuals. However, in most cases, the treatment services covered by insurance under Chapter 431M are not sufficient. Therefore, your Committees believe that a thorough study on this issue is necessary to ensure that individuals that require treatment for substance abuse receive the treatment they need.
Your Committees have amended this measure by:
(1) Providing additional background information and statistics estimating possible consequences if full insurance parity is provided for individuals who require treatment for substance abuse; and
(2) Clarifying that the study should address the substance abuse treatment needs that exceed the minimum mandated under Chapter 431M;
(3) Requesting that the Insurance Commissioner solicit, collect, and report data according to substance abuse treatment utilization by children, adolescents, and adults;
(4) Requesting that the Insurance Commissioner conduct an analysis of those who have exhausted their substance abuse treatment benefits; and
(5) Providing that the Insurance Commissioner shall consult with the Department of Health, and with all interested parties, including the Board of Medical Examiners, the Board of Psychology, and representatives of insurance carriers, nonprofit mutual benefit associations, health maintenance organizations, public and private providers, consumers, employers and labor organizations, and State agencies which implement policies under Chapter 431M.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 116, as amended herein, recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 116, S.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services,
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____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair |
____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair |
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