STAND. COM. REP. NO.  616-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

RE:   H.B. No. 2637

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2637 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL AND REHABILITATION BENEFITS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure that injured workers have access to appropriate care by clarifying that a physician or surgeon may conduct diagnostic testing or engage in a one-time consultation with a board-certified or licensed specialist to obtain a subspecialty diagnostic evaluation and treatment recommendation, without being contested by an insurer or employer.

     The ILWU Local 142, Hawaii Injured Workers Alliance, Hawaii Chapter-American Physical Therapy Association, and The Hawaii Coalition for Health testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and Hawaii Insurers Council testified in opposition to this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2020, to                    encourage further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style,         consistency, and clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2637, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2637, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair