CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 34
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2011
RE: S.B. No. 285
S.D. 2
H.D. 2
C.D. 1
Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui
President of the Senate
Twenty-Sixth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2011
State of Hawaii
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Sixth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2011
State of Hawaii
Sirs:
Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 285, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"
having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.
The purpose of this measure is to provide access to telehealth services by requiring the Department of Human Services to allow the use of a mobile health van operated by a qualified provider.
Your Committee on Conference finds that providing adequate health care to certain rural areas of the State can be challenging. Your Committee on Conference further finds that utilizing a mobile health van equipped with telehealth capabilities will assist in the provision of vital services to QUEST and Medicaid members who reside in rural areas.
Your Committee on Conference additionally finds that Section 33 of Act 162, Session Laws of Hawaii 2009, appropriated $350,000 for the purchase of a mobile medical van for medical services on the island of Hawaii. Kona Community Hospital is in the process of procuring the medical van. The Hospital has been working with Hawaii Medical Service Association, who has committed to help finance two years of operational costs.
Your Committee on Conference additionally finds that promoting innovative ideas and technologies that have the potential for improving quality and efficiency are important. However, your Committee on Conference notes that an evaluation component is also needed and that the Department of Human Services should be given the opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the mobile medical van telehealth pilot program. Determining whether the pilot program should be continued, expanded, or ended will increase the overall effectiveness of the program and encourage the prudent use of resources.
Accordingly, your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:
(1) Clarifying the requirements of the mobile medical van telehealth pilot program, including ensuring that the mobile medical van shall be staffed by a primary care provider and equipped with certain telehealth capabilities;
(2) Clarifying that the Department of Human Services shall not be required to cover patient self-referrals to providers outside of the mobile medical van telehealth pilot program;
(3) Specifying that the Department of Human Services shall not be required to cover any new service;
(4) Specifying that the mobile medical van program shall include a program operated by Kona Community Hospital through a partnership with a non-profit mutual benefit society operating in the State;
(5) Deleting the requirement that the Department of Human Services submit a report to the Legislature prior to the convening of the Regular Sessions of 2012 and 2013 on the implementation of the mobile health van telehealth pilot program;
(6) Requiring the Department of Human Services to assess the implementation of the mobile medical van teleheath pilot program at least six months but no later than twelve months after it begins operations;
(7) Specifying what information should be included in the Department of Human Service's assessment;
(8) Requiring the Department of Human Services to decide whether to continue, expand, or end the mobile medical van telehealth pilot program based on the results of the Department's assessment;
(9) Changing the effective date to upon approval; and
(10) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 285, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 285, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:
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ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE |
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ON THE PART OF THE SENATE |
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____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Co-Chair |
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____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair |
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____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO, Co-Chair |
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____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Co-Chair |
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____________________________ DEE MORIKAWA, Co-Chair |
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