STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2014

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2808

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2808 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 and intent of this measure is to make an emergency appropriation for fiscal year 2011-2012 for health care payments (HMS 401) to address a funding shortfall in the Medicaid program.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, the Hawaii Medical Association, and the Hawai‘i Primary Care Association.

     Your Committee finds that this measure will provide the Department of Human Services with the funds the department requires to continue their core services.  Specifically, the funding in this measure will help to ensure that the department can continue making timely payments to contracted health plan providers.

     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 S.B. No. 2808 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair