STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1534

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 109

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 109 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO ASSESS THE SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF REQUIRING HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR COLONOSCOPY COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Auditor to assess the social and financial effects of requiring health insurance coverage for colonoscopy colorectal cancer screening.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the American Physical Therapy Association Hawaii Chapter and the American Cancer Society.

     Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committees find that although colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, it is also one of the most treatable forms of cancer when diagnosed early through available diagnostic techniques such as colonoscopy.  Your Committees find that colonoscopy is considered a safe and highly effective diagnostic technique that studies have shown to be more accurate and less invasive than other forms of screening.  Your Committees further find that the cost of colonoscopy is far lower than the cost of treatment for colorectal cancer.

     Your Committees note that while section 23-51, Hawaii Revised Statutes, requires an assessment by the Auditor of the social and financial effects of proposed coverage before insurance coverage of specific diseases or health services may be mandated, the Legislature retains the right to enact laws to protect the general health, safety, and welfare of the State and its residents.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 109, and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection,

____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair