STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3086

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 179

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 179, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION MANDATING THE SIZE AND EXTENT OF A MANAGED CARE PLAN'S SPECIALTY NETWORK,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Governor to develop proposed legislation to mandate the size and extent of a managed care plan's specialty network based upon the Hawaii QUEST requests for proposal requirements for both QUEST and QUEST Expanded Access Plans.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by one individual.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that there is currently a shortage of adequate specialty provider networks servicing QUEST and QUEST Expanded Access plans resulting in delays in treatment and reduced efficiency.  This shortage is affecting QUEST and QUEST Expanded Access patients throughout the State but is felt particularly keenly on the neighbor islands.

Your Committee further finds that reforming the process by which contracts are awarded to create specialty networks will help to alleviate this problem and will increase efficiency of QUEST and QUEST Expanded Access plans and ensure that all patients are seen by physicians in a timely manner.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive changes to ensure clarity, and accuracy in the language of this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 179, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 179, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair