STAND. COM. REP. NO.  276

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 385

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Human Services & Housing and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 385 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to encourage psychiatrists to provide services to patients receiving public assistance by increasing the reimbursement rate for psychiatric services provided under Medicaid and QUEST.  This bill also appropriates funds to cover the cost of the reimbursement increase.

     The Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association and Hawaii Medical Association testified in support of this bill.  Kahi Mohala Behavioral Health and the Hawaii Medical Service Association supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Human Services (DHS) provided comments.

     Your Committees received testimony that current reimbursement rates are far below the cost of providing psychiatric care to the needy.  Your Committees are encouraged by DHS's testimony, which states that an increase in the reimbursement rate for psychiatric services on the Neighbor Islands has been requested in the Executive Biennium Budget.

     Your Committees have amended this bill by:

     (1)  Specifying that the funds appropriated are intended to cover the reimbursement rate increase for psychiatric services provided under medicaid and QUEST; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services & Housing and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 385, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 385, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services & Housing and Health,

____________________________ JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Chair

____________________________ MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair