STAND. COM. REP. NO.  420-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 2546

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2546 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES FOR HEALTH CARE PAYMENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make an emergency appropriation in the amount of $11,881,157 for the Department of Human Services to fund health care payments to address a funding shortfall in the Medicaid program.

The Department of Human Services, Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Medical Service Association, ‘Ohana Health Plan, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Primary Care Association, and two individuals testified in support of this measure.

     Pursuant to the requirements set forth in Article VII, Section 9, of the Hawaii State Constitution, the Governor, in his Governor's Message No. 192 to the House of Representatives, requested immediate consideration and passage of this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2546, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2546, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair