STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2899
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: H.B. No. 1967
H.D. 2
S.D. 1
Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui
President of the Senate
Twenty-Sixth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2012
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1967, H.D. 2, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL CLAIM CONCILIATION,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to make the medical claim conciliation process less adversarial by emphasizing inquiry, conciliation, and settlement and renaming the medical claim conciliation panels as medical inquiry and conciliation panels.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Association for Justice, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
Your Committee finds that the shortage of physicians in Hawaii is caused in part by the high malpractice insurance costs and an unfriendly liability system. This measure is an effort to address the problems with the current medical claim conciliation panels and reduce Hawaii's medical liability costs to improve the availability of care for Hawaii's residents.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2050, to allow for further discussion; and
(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1967, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1967, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,
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____________________________ JOSH GREEN, M.D., Chair |
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