STAND. COM. REP. NO.  58

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 690

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 690 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide access to adequate health insurance coverage for part-time workers by requiring insurers that offer health care coverage to the regular employees of any group or association to offer the same coverage to part-time employees, to be paid for in full by the participating part-time employees, working at least 15 hours per week; and

This measure also requires the Insurance Commissioner to report to the legislature on the cost-benefits of providing this option to part-time workers.

     The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and a concerned individual supported this bill.  The Retail Merchants of Hawaii opposed this measure.  The Hawaii Medical Service Association and Hawaii Association of Health Plans submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by changing the effective date to July 1, 2020, 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. 690, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 690, 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,

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair