STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2911

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2262

       H.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2262, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO REPORTING DEATHS TO STATE AGENCIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Department of Health to disclose lists of names of persons whose deaths have been recorded by the Department to state agencies that maintain official lists of persons and are prohibited by federal law from sharing information from the lists.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Department of Budget and Finance; Department of Human Services; and Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund, Department of Budget and Finance.

     Your Committee finds that allowing the Department of Health to report deaths to state agencies that maintain official lists that are confidential under federal law would assist state agencies to maintain accurate lists.  Your Committee further finds that accurate death validation is necessary to ensure that enrollee and dependent beneficiary data reflect updated and timely information in order to prevent the overpayment of benefits.  This measure will benefit state agencies in their death validation process and data cleansing efforts.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2262, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

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

____________________________

JOSH GREEN, Chair