Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1022, S.D. 1, entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to expand services to individuals receiving medical assistance by providing chiropractic coverage under Medicaid and QUEST.

The Hawaii State Chiropractic Association and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill. The Department of Human Services (DHS) supported the intent of this measure with budgetary concerns.

Your Committees find that while many insurance plans cover chiropractic care, Medicaid recipients do not have chiropractic benefits. One testifier stated that in 1998, chiropractic services were part of the Medicaid program in at least 25 states.

Your Committees received testimony stating that there appears to be little fluctuation in the percentage of total payments per year for chiropractic services, and that the maximum number of treatments per year seemed to have little or no effect on costs. Your Committees respectfully request DHS to further analyze the potential costs of providing chiropractic coverage to recipients of Medicaid and QUEST.

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. 1022, S.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.