STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2068

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2041

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Public Housing and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2041 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to meet rising health care costs and ensure that Hawaii's residents have continued access to quality health care by appropriating funds for the State's portion of federal disproportionate share hospital allowance.

     Testimony in support of the intent of the measure was presented by The Queen's Medical Center, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii.

     Your Committees understand that federal medicaid disproportionate share hospital appropriation of $7,500,000 has been secured for Hawaii for 2008.  State funds are needed to match this grant.  The combined funding will help to provide continuing health care in Hawaii.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Public Housing and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2041 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair