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. 53 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to request the Auditor to assess the social and financial ramifications of requiring health insurers to offer coverage for cognitive rehabilitation.

Your Committee made available a proposed House Draft 1 on Friday, April 1, 2004, to be reviewed by all concerned parties as well as the general public, and received and heard testimony based on the proposed draft.

Chaminade University of Honolulu, Maui Chapter Steering Committee of the Hawaii Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Hale Ipu Alakai – The Guiding Light, Wright Counseling Services, Samaritan Counseling Center of Hawaii, Aloha House Maui, The Bobby Benson Center, Ka Lima O Maui, Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center, Compassionate Counseling, and several concerned individuals supported the proposed draft. The Hawaii Medical Service Association opposed the proposed draft.

Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this concurrent resolution by deleting its contents and replacing it with language set forth in the proposed draft. As amended, this measure requests the Auditor to assess the social and financial effects of requiring health insurers to offer coverage for marriage and family therapists within mental health and alcohol and drug abuse treatment insurance benefits.

Accordingly, this measure has also been amended by changing its title to:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO ASSESS THE SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF REQUIRING HEALTH INSURERS TO OFFER COVERAGE FOR MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS' SERVICES WITHIN MENTAL HEALTH AND ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS."

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. 53, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 53, H.D. 1.