Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2929 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to change the start date for the reimbursement methodology for long-term care services and eliminate the sunset provision.

Testimony in favor of this measure was submitted by the Department of Human Services, Hawaii Long-Term Care Association, Hawaii Healthcare Association, and Hawaii Health Systems Corporations.

Your Committees find that Act 226, Session Laws of Hawaii 2000, provided a new long-term care reimbursement methodology to begin in 2003. However, this must be preceded by provider education and training, system changes to medicaid, and changes to long-term care facility resident assessment. This measure will allow for a gradual phasing in of the methodology to ensure that facilities can make necessary adjustments.

To avoid a sunset clause, your Committees have amended the effective date to June 29, 2004, and made technical, nonsubstantive changes.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2929, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2929, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.