STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1052

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   S.B. No. 285

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 285, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to allow QUEST and Medicaid members to access telehealth services by directing the Department of Human Services (DHS) to allow the use of Kona Community Hospital's mobile health van.

     Hawaii Medical Service Association, Kona Community Hospital, and Hawaii Association of Health Plans testified in support of this bill.  DHS supported the intent of this measure.

     Your Committees find that the current language of the bill may preclude federal matching funds, and may be construed to exclude the coverage of specialty consultations.  To address these concerns, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1)  Expanding the approved operation of an eligible mobile health van program to any qualified provider;

(2)  Removing the language restricting the operation of the mobile health van program to the Kona community; and

(3)  Amending the requirements for access to specialist care via telehealth services to include a referral by an individual's primary care physician, and health plan authorization if necessary.

     However, your Committees note that the intent of the Legislature to implement a single mobile health van pilot program in a county with a population of less than 250,000, specifically in the Kona community, is not altered by these amendments.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 285, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 285, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services,

____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair