STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2721

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2589

       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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2589 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOSTER YOUTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Human Services to automatically enroll former foster youth in an appropriate medical assistance program and continue to provide assistance to former foster youth until they reach the age of twenty-six years.  

     Written comments in support of this measure were submitted by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Hawaii Youth Services Network; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice; EPIC Ohana; and one individual.  Written comments in opposition to this measure were submitted by the Department of Human Services.

     Your Committee finds that former foster youth often do not have health insurance and, therefore, lack access to crucial medical services.  The lack of health insurance may result in former foster youth having to make more visits to the emergency room, which in turn, may lead to high medical debt.

     Your Committee recognizes, however, that automatic enrollment would preclude the option of refusing enrollment, for example, when former foster youth may already have health insurance coverage under an employer's health plan.  Further, allowing for a gradual increase in enrollment in the program would assist the Department in implementing this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the Department of Human Services is required to offer and provide medical assistance to former foster youth; instead of automatically enrolling former foster youth;

     (2)  Requiring that former foster youth meet the following criteria to receive medical assistance under this program:

          (A)  Are under the age of twenty-four on July 1, 2012; under the age of twenty-five on January 1, 2013; and under the age of twenty six on January 1, 2014;

          (B)  Were still in the foster care system when they reached the age of eighteen;

          (C)  Were enrolled in medicaid while in foster care; and

          (D)  Have a household income of up to three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level for Hawaii; and

     (3)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of style and clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2589, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2589, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair