STAND. COM. REP. NO.  388

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 595

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 595 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates so that:

     (1)  Rates for patients occupying acute care licensed beds who are waitlisted for long-term care are at least equal to the rate paid for acute care services; and

     (2)  Rates for patients with medically complex conditions occupying long-term care beds who had been receiving acute care services in an acute care facility are at least equal to the rate paid for subacute care services.

     The Queen's Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, the Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Hawaii Pacific Health, and The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii supported this bill.  The Department of Human Services opposed the measure.

     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. 595 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