STAND. COM. REP. NO.  4-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2016

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2016 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure that the most effective treatment options are available for people afflicted with cancer by requiring health insurance plans to include methods of oral chemotherapy treatment as a medical benefit and not as a drug benefit.

     The Hawaii Medical Association supported the intent of this bill.  The Hawaii Association of Health Plans opposed this measure.  The Hawaii Medical Service Association and American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     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 H.B. No. 2016, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2016, H.D. 1, 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