STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1304

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 427

      S.D. 2

      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 Health and Human Services & Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 427, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to:

(1)  Increase the state supplemental payments for domiciliary care, including care provided in licensed developmental disabilities domiciliary homes, community care foster family homes, and certified adult foster homes; and

(2)  Establish a rate of payment for individuals in skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities.

     The Department of Human Services (DHS), Disability and Communication Access Board, Mayor of Hawaii County, Hawaii Alliance for Retired Americans, Hawaii Long Term Care Association, Kokua Council, Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Arc in Hawaii, and many concerned individuals supported this bill.  The Hawaii Coalition of Care Home Administrators, Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, and several concerned individuals submitted comments.

     Your Committees have amended this bill by:

     (1)  Requiring DHS's Medically Needy Program to disregard an amount of income equal to the difference between 133 percent of the assistance allowance and 100 percent of the federal poverty level in determining eligibility for the program;

     (2)  Removing requirements for providing a personal needs allowance (PNA) of:

(A)  $50 for individuals in domiciliary care facilities; and

(B)  $20 for individuals in skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities;

     and

(3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

     Your Committees find that it is important that this state increase the PNA for those people cared for in Hawaii's skilled nursing and intermediate care facilities.  It is the intention of your Committees that the increased payments provided by this bill for skilled nursing and intermediate care facilities should go to the patients to increase the patients' PNA.  In addition, automatic increases in the PNA are important to keep pace with the economy.

     With the addition of the provisions to this bill that make adjustments to DHS's Medically Needy Program, your Committees request that your Committee on Finance determine if it would be appropriate to include an appropriation in this bill to provide DHS with added funding to accomplish this task.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services & Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 427, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 427, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________ MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair

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