Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 1033 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for QUEST and medicaid coverage for aged, blind, and disabled aliens residing in Hawaii pursuant to the Compact of Free Association.

Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by Hawaii Pacific Health, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Na Loio – Immigrant Rights and Public Interest Legal Center, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Kokua Kalihi Valley, Micronesians United (Big Island), Pacific Islands Primary Care Association, and four individuals. Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii is home to more that eight thousand people from the Pacific Island nations covered under the Compact of Free Association, double the number since 2000. Many of these people have serious health problems such as tuberculosis, hepatitis, diabetes, and Hansen's disease. Without medicaid coverage for this population, community health centers would find serving this population a tremendous financial burden. Thus, your Committee finds that this measure will assist not only the direct beneficiaries, but the State by reducing exposure to communicable diseases and supporting the challenged health care system.

Your Committee notes, notwithstanding that the Department of Human Services has allocated the funding in their proposed budget to the Legislature, that passage of this measure shows strong support for keeping funding intact in the department's budget for QUEST and Medicaid coverage for the aged, blind, and disabled aliens residing in Hawaii under the Compact of Free Association.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1033 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.