STAND. COM. REP. NO.  932-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 2275

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2275, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOSPITALS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure access to health care for Medicaid recipients by:

(1)  Requiring the Department of Human Services to charge and collect a hospital sustainability fee from hospitals on health care items or services provided; and

(2)  Establishing a hospital sustainability fee and a special fund to receive moneys from the hospital sustainability fee so that the State may be eligible to receive federal Medicaid matching funds under the QUEST Expanded Medicaid Section 1115 Demonstration Waiver.

The Department of Human Services and Healthcare Association of Hawaii testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Budget and Finance, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, and Hawaii Medical Services Association provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting references to private organizations within the measure; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2275, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2275, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair