STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1226

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 53

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 53 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to include the services of marriage and family therapists among the alcohol dependence, drug dependence, and mental illness treatment services that are required to be included in health insurance policies and their equivalents that are issued in this State.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Psychological Association and a concerned citizen.  Comments on the measure were received from the Insurance Commissioner.

     Your Committee finds that this measure will increase the types of mandated services available to insureds under a health insurance policy and thereby expand the choice of health care providers available to insureds.  Your Committee finds that this measure also protects the safety of insureds by limiting benefit coverage to services of licensed therapists.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 53 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Chair