Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Health, to which was referred H.R. No. 93 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this resolution is to request the Board of Dental Examiners (BDE) to adopt appropriate measures to discourage dentists from refusing patients who are covered under government-sponsored medical insurance programs.

The Legal Aid Society of Hawaii (LASH) testified in support of this measure. BDE, the Hawaii Dental Association, and a concerned individual opposed this measure.

Your Committees find that many dentists, particularly those on the Neighbor Islands, are reluctant to accept patients covered by government-sponsored medical insurance programs, such as Medicaid and QUEST because of the low reimbursement rates and related paperwork. Your Committees received testimony that a larger percentage of dentists on Kauai and Oahu accept Medicaid and QUEST patients, compared to an extremely small percentage on Maui and the Big Island. Rural, low-income areas are the most in need of dental services.

However, your Committees recognize that the focus should be more positive, and dentists should be encouraged to participate, rather than being reprimanded for not participating.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this concurrent resolution by:

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 93, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 93, H.D. 1.