STAND. COM. REP. NO.  71-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

RE:   H.B. No. 2091

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2091 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to address problems related to Medicaid processing times by:

     (1)  Requiring the Department of Human Services (DHS) to provide presumptive eligibility coverage to individuals waitlisted for Medicaid, upon meeting certain conditions;

     (2)  Requiring DHS to submit a report to the Legislature every year beginning with the 2011 Regular Session and ending with the 2015 Regular Session, on its findings and recommendations regarding costs and other issues related to Medicaid presumptive eligibility;

     (3)  Requiring DHS to conduct a study of a computerized system for processing Medicaid applications and report its findings prior to the 2011 Regular Session; and

     (4)  Appropriating $200,000 for reimbursements to providers or plans for services provided for individuals who are granted presumptive eligibility but are later determined to be ineligible.

     Hawaii Pacific Health, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, The Queen's Medical Center, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, the Hawaii Disability Rights Center, and a concerned individual supported this bill.  DHS offered comments.

     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 are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2091 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and 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