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.R. No. 52 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Auditor to conduct an audit of the Department of Human Services' vocational rehabilitation and services for the blind division.

Your Committee circulated a proposed Senate draft for this measure that amends the measure to urge the Department of Human Services to eliminate the concept of positive enrollment from the recently issued QUEST Request for Proposal.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the proposed draft from AlohaCare, the Community Clinic of Maui, Family Voices of Hawai`i, Hale o Lanakila Clubhouse, Hamakua Health Center, Inc., Hana Health, the Hawaii Coalition for Health, the Hawaii Independent Physicians Association, Hawaii Pacific Health, the Hawai`i Primary Care Association, Kalihi-Palama Health Center, MothersCare For Tomorrow's Children, Papa Ola Lokahi, the Queen Emma Clinics, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, Waikiki Health Center, Waimanalo Health Center, and ten individuals. The Department of Human Services submitted testimony in opposition to the measure.

Your Committee finds that this amended measure advocates the amendment of the Request for Proposal issued by the Department of Human Services on March 13, 2006 to delete the positive enrollment requirement. The concept of positive enrollment means requiring the 165,000 individuals currently enrolled in the QUEST program to affirmatively re-enroll in the plan and select a Primary Care Physician. Those who do not respond will be auto-assigned in a health plan according to an approved algorithm.

Your Committee further finds that the overwhelming consensus of the testimony of the healthcare providers and advocates who work with QUEST recipients was that a positive enrollment requirement would cause widespread confusion among QUEST beneficiaries, disrupt their continuity of care, delay needed palliative and preventive treatment, and otherwise disturb the provision of service to the QUEST population.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 52, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 52, S.D. 1.