STAND. COM. REP. NO.  239-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 2528

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2528 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to improve access to medical supplies and equipment for Medicare and Medicaid patients by requiring vendors who have been awarded contracts through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthodontics, and supplies bidding program to have a physical presence in Hawaii.

The Queen's Health Systems, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and CareResource Hawaii provided testimony in support of this measure.  The Department of the Attorney General, Hawaii Medical Service Association, and an individual provided testimony in opposition to this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, for the purpose of facilitating further discussion; and

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

     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. 2528, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2528, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair