HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	110
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

requesting the auditor to assess the social and financial effects of requiring health insurers to provide coverage for weight management and obesity treatment for children.

     WHEREAS, childhood obesity is a growing concern in the state with 26.9 percent of children ages 10-17 overweight or obese; and

     WHEREAS, obesity in children has been associated with the growing incidence in adults of type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, poor self-esteem, and poor health; and

     WHEREAS, a 2004 report estimated that in Hawaii the medical costs attributable to adult obesity was $290 million, of which $30 million was expended by Medicare, $90 million by Medicaid, and $170 million from other sources; and

     WHEREAS, successful treatment of overweight and obese children may prevent the burden of medical and social problems they face as adults and the associated medical costs to the health care system; and

     WHEREAS, pediatricians are usually the first line of intervention regarding an individual child's health; and

     WHEREAS, pediatricians supplement and enhance the work of public health initiatives in raising awareness of the medical and social problems related to being overweight and obese; and

     WHEREAS, the Hawaii Pediatric Weight Management Toolkit, designed to help health professionals teach children and parents healthy lifestyle habits, was designed to be used by physicians in response to the growing problem of childhood obesity here in Hawaii; and

     WHEREAS, there are significant medical, social, and economic reasons to require health insurance providers to cover treatment of overweight and obese children in this state; and

     WHEREAS, section 23-51, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), requires that

"[b]efore any legislative measure that mandates health insurance coverage for specific health services, specific diseases, or certain providers of health care services as part of individual or group health insurance policies, can be considered, there shall be concurrent resolutions passed requesting the auditor to prepare and submit to the legislature a report that assesses both the social and financial effects of the proposed mandated coverage";

and

     WHEREAS, section 23-51, HRS, further provides that "[t]he concurrent resolutions shall designate a specific legislative bill that:

     (1)  Has been introduced in the legislature; and

     (2)  Includes, at a minimum, information identifying the:

          (A)  Specific health service, disease, or provider that would be covered;

          (B)  Extent of coverage;

          (C)  Target groups that would be covered;

          (D)  Limits on utilization, if any; and

          (E)  Standards of care;

for purposes of this part, mandated health insurance coverage shall not include mandated optionals"; and
     WHEREAS, section 23-52, HRS, further specifies the minimum information required for assessing the social and financial impact of the proposed health coverage mandate in the Auditor's report; and

     WHEREAS, S.B. No. 794 (2009) mandates coverage for weight management and obesity prevention for children in all individual and group accident and health or sickness insurance policies; and

     WHEREAS, the Legislature believes that coverage for weight management and obesity prevention for children, as provided in S.B. No. 794 (2009), will substantially reduce illness and assist in the maintenance of good health for the people of this state; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2010, the Senate concurring, that the Auditor is requested to conduct an impact assessment report, pursuant to sections 23-51 and 23-52, HRS, of the social and financial impacts of mandating coverage for weight management and obesity prevention for children in all individual and group accident and health or sickness insurance policies, as provided in S.B. No. 794 (2009); and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor is requested to submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislature, including any necessary implementing legislation, no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2011; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Auditor and to the Insurance Commissioner, who, in turn, is requested to transmit copies to each insurer in the state that issues health insurance policies.

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title: 

Obesity treatment for children; insurance; Auditor report