STAND. COM. REP. NO.  725-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

RE:   S.B. No. 2599

      S.D. 2

      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 Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2599, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide for the early detection of colorectal cancer by requiring health insurers to cover colorectal cancer screening procedures graded A or B, including colonoscopy screening, by the United States Preventive Services Task Force.

     The Office of the Auditor and the American Cancer Society testified in support of this bill.  The Hawaii Medical Service Association supported this measure with amendments.  Kaiser Permanente Hawaii supported the intent of this bill.  The Hawaii Association of Health Plans provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by deleting its substance and inserting the contents of House Bill No. 823, H.D. 2.  Specifically, as amended, this bill requires:

(1)  Individual and group hospital and medical service contracts offered by mutual benefit societies subject to Article 1 of Chapter 432, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS);

(2)  Accident and health or sickness insurance contracts subject to Article 10A, Chapter 431, HRS, except those policies that only provide coverage for specific diseases or other limited benefit coverage; and

(3)  Every policy, contract, plan, or agreement issued by health maintenance organizations subject to Chapter 432D, HRS,

to provide coverage for colorectal-cancer screening by all A and B grade screening modalities as recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force, and starting on March 1, 2011, to inform their insured of the risk associated with undiagnosed colorectal cancer and encourage them to consult their physician about available screening options.

     The bill further has an effective date of January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.  In addition, technical, nonsubstantive amendments were made for clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2599, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2599, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair