STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3208

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 124

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 124 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT A FINANCIAL AND MANAGEMENT AUDIT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES MEDICAID-SPONSORED PROGRAMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request that the Auditor conduct a financial and management audit of Department of Human Services Medicaid-sponsored programs to identify any areas of concern and submit a report to the Legislature.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by AlohaCare, Hamakua Health Center, Inc., Papa Ola Lokahi, and Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center.  Written comments on the measure were submitted by the Department of Human Services. 

     Your Committee finds that this measure shall provide the appropriate oversight, evaluation, and feedback necessary concerning a State division that manages a budget of over $1,300,000,000 each year and is responsible for the provision of health-related services for 200,000 of our community's most vulnerable residents. 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by incorporating the comments made by AlohaCare by including in the audit a particular emphasis on the programs of QUEST, QUEST-Net, QUEST-ACE (Adult Coverage Expansion) and QUEST Expanded Access (QExA), and to add as a potential area of concern the recent QUEST Expanded Access for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled Request for Proposals.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 124, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 124, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair