Requires consumer advocate to take action on behalf of health care consumers to receive appropriate health care based on the evaluation of all medical opinions received, regardless of source, while according priority to the medical opinion of the health care consumer's treating physician.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that patients do not always receive health care that is appropriate for their individual situations and, at times, appropriate health care is denied to a patient based upon an opinion or evaluation by a source other than the treating physician. Although it is undeniable that health care costs are high and ever-increasing and that the cost of health care needs to be contained, appropriate health care must not be denied based upon a desire to contain costs.

The purpose of this Act is to empower the consumer advocate to advocate for the provision of appropriate health care to each health care consumer based upon the evaluation of every medical opinion received, regardless of source, while according priority to the medical opinion of the patient's treating physician.

SECTION 2. Chapter 269, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§269-    Evaluation of medical opinions; treating source physician; advocacy. The consumer advocate shall advocate for and take any necessary action on behalf of health care consumers to receive appropriate health care based upon the evaluation of all medical opinions received, regardless of source, while according priority to the medical opinion of the health care consumer's treating physician, under any:

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.