STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2649

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2595

       S.D. 2

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. 2595, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to ensure access to early intervention services to meet the needs of infants and toddlers.

Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Requires the Department of Health or any other department or office responsible for providing early intervention services to maintain the eligibility criteria or the scope of covered services for early intervention services at a minimum of the same level that was in effect on January 1, 2012;

     (2)  Allows children who were eligible as of January 1, 2012, to remain eligible for early intervention services under certain circumstances;

     (3)  Allows, rather than requires, the Department to establish a family cost participation schedule for early intervention services, which may include a sliding fee schedule; and

     (4)  Allows the Department to include in its contracts with early intervention service providers a provision that requires the provider to provide early intervention services on a fee-for-service basis, at a rate no higher than the amount the provider would have been reimbursed under its contract with the state contracting entity, to individuals who are ineligible under part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from one individual.  Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that last year, the Department of Health changed the eligibility standard for children who would qualify for early intervention services.  This change is projected to result in twenty-five per cent fewer infants and toddlers receiving early intervention services, including physical, occupational, and speech therapy.  Your Committee further finds that this measure will help to ensure that early intervention services, which are vitally important to the development and lifetime opportunities of infants and toddlers with special needs, remain available to those most in need.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the "average" used to determine whether a child remains eligible for early intervention services is the "population mean average";

     (2)  Changing the reference from "commercial insurers" to "private insurers";

     (3)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

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

     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. 2595, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2595, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair