STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1545

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.C.R. No. 54

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 54 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING AN INCREASE FOR MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT IN HAWAII,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to request an increase in Medicare payments to physicians rendering services in Hawaii.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted from the Department of Human Services and Hawaii Pacific Health.

     Your Committees support the request to increase geographic practice cost indices reimbursements for Medicaid and Medicare services rendered in Hawaii. Since the geographic practice cost indices for Hawaii in 2005 were significantly lower than that of Alaska in the corresponding year and Congress implemented a baseline for Alaska, it stands reasonable to set a higher reimbursement rate for Hawaii as well.      

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 54 and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair

____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair