Report Title:

Chiropractic Care; Med-Quest; Medicaid

 

Description:

Requires Med‑QUEST and Medicaid coverage for chiropractic care upon receiving federal approval.  (HB3229 HD1)

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

3229

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  Chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§346-    Chiropractic coverage under medical assistance programs.  (a)  For purposes of medical assistance programs, including medicaid and QUEST under section 346-14(7), chiropractic, as defined in section 442-1, administered by a person licensed to practice chiropractic under section 442-2, shall be covered; provided that the department may negotiate rates, or establish payment and reimbursement rates, as appropriate.

     (b)  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the department shall make appropriate adjustments to the rate of payment per participating recipient paid to health maintenance organizations and prepaid health plans pursuant to section 346‑59(d), to allow QUEST recipients to receive coverage for chiropractic as required by this section.  Health maintenance organizations and prepaid health plans shall not be required to extend chiropractic coverage to QUEST recipients until the department adjusts the rate of payment per participating recipient."

     SECTION 2.  The department of human services shall submit a request to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to amend the state medicaid plan to add chiropractic services as a benefit as provided in section 1 of this Act, to allow the state to receive federal reimbursement.  Upon approval of the amendment, the department of human services shall request funding from the legislature, if necessary, to implement the provisions of section 1 of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2008, and shall be repealed on January 1, 2011, except that section 1 of this Act shall not be implemented until the department of human services receives approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to amend the state medicaid plan as provided under section 2 of this Act.