STAND. COM. REP. NO.  366-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2572

      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 Committees on Health and Human Services & Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 2572 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 work in rural, underserved areas of the state by:

(1)  Ensuring psychiatrists are reimbursed on all Medicare codes for the provision of medical services to patients at a rate not less than 100 percent of the Medicare reimbursement amount that is in effect for the current year and updated for each calendar year; and

(2)  Establishing a $30 differential for reimbursements to psychiatrists practicing on the neighbor islands.

     The Hawaii Medical Association, Psychiatric Access Collaboration, Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, Hawaii Centers for Independent Living, and several concerned individuals supported this bill.  The Hawaii Medical Service Association and Hawaii Association of Health Plans opposed this measure.  The Department of Human Services submitted comments.

     Your Committees have amended this bill by making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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 H.B. No. 2572, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2572, 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