Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2890 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow for the payment of a flat fee for physicians who participate on an external review panel.

The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Kaiser Permanente testified in support of the measure.

Your Committee finds that this measure ensures adequate participation by qualified physicians on external review panels that review health coverage disputes. Further, the cost of paying these fees is not expected to be significant as these external review panels meet less than twenty-five times a year.

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. 2890 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.