Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 28 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Auditor to assess the social and financial effects of establishing health insurance provisions for initial medical visits and psychological assessments, including previously undiagnosed medical and psychological conditions.

The Hawaii Psychological Association submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Hawaii Medical Service Association submitted comments.

Your Committees find that health insurers often refuse payment for initial medical visits and psychological assessments when such medical visits and psychological assessments include previously undiagnosed medical and psychological conditions. Section 23-51, Hawaii Revised Statutes, requires that before any legislative measure mandating health insurance coverage can be considered, a concurrent resolution shall be passed requesting the Auditor to prepare and submit a report that assesses both the social and financial effects of the proposed mandated coverage. This measure complies with the necessary prerequisite to considering a legislative measure mandating insurers to provide reimbursement to health providers for initial medical visits and psychological assessments.

Your Committees have amended this measure by referring to S.B. No. 1522 as the measure that proposes to mandate coverage for initial medical visits and psychological assessments.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 28, as amended herein, recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 28, S.D. 1.