Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2507 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to eliminate the enrollment cap for the QUEST program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the measure from the Department of Human Services, the Hawaii Disability Rights Center, the Hawaii Primary Care Association, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, the Molokai Community Health Center, and the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center. The Hawaii Uninsured Project submitted comments on this measure.

Your Committee finds that this measure will expand the scope of coverage for uninsured people in Hawaii who would otherwise be eligible for the QUEST program but for the enrollment cap.

Your Committee has amended this measure to require the Department of Human Services to submit a request for an amendment of the state waiver from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to remove the enrollment cap for the QUEST plan.

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. 2507, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2507, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.