STAND. COM. REP. NO.  231-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 1724

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1724 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Human Services to:

     (1)  Provide Medicaid presumptive eligibility to patients who have been waitlisted for long-term care;

     (2)  Conduct a study of a computerized Medicaid applications system to address inefficiencies and other problems associated with processing Medicaid applications; and

     (3)  Submit findings and recommendations to the Legislature regarding costs and other issues related to Medicaid presumptive eligibility.

This measure also appropriates funds to cover the costs of any reimbursements made to providers or plans for services that are provided during the time waitlisted patients are enrolled but are eventually determined to be ineligible.

Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, and two individuals provided testimony in support of this measure.  The Hawaii Primary Care Association provided testimony in support of the intent of this measure.  The Department of Human Services provided testimony in opposition to this 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. 1724 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