STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1008

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.C.R. No. 39

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 39 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO ASSESS THE SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF REQUIRING HEALTH INSURERS TO OFFER COVERAGE FOR COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING BY COLONOSCOPY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to request the Auditor to assess the social and financial effects of requiring health insurers to offer coverage for colorectal cancer screening by colonoscopy.

The Hawaii Medical Service Association and American Cancer Society supported this concurrent resolution. Kaiser Permanente supported the intent of this measure.

Your Committee finds that early diagnosis of colorectal cancer is an extremely important tool in maintaining a healthy society. Diagnosing and treating colorectal cancer in its early stages increases the chances of a full and complete recovery.

Your Committee has amended this concurrent resolution by:

(1) Adding fecal occult blood testing and flexible

sigmoidoscopy to the tests that should be studied for possible coverage by health insurers;

(2) Changing the title of this concurrent resolution to:

"REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO ASSESS THE SOCIAL AND

FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF REQUIRING HEALTH INSURERS TO OFFER

COVERAGE FOR COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING BY FECAL

OCCULT BLOOD TESTING, FLEXIBLE SIGMOIDOSCOPY, AND

COLONOSCOPY"; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity,

consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 39, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Legislative Management in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 39, H.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

 

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair