STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1211

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   S.B. No. 1073

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1073, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DENTAL SERVICE CORPORATIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish regulations regarding the licensing of dental insurers to assist in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. 

     Specifically, the measure establishes:

(1)  Licensing and regulatory requirements;

(2)  Financial and solvency requirements;

(3)  Reporting and audit requirements; and

(4)  Insurance coverage, benefits disclosure, and enrollment requirements.

The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs testified in support of this measure.  Hawaii Dental Association opposed this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing the nomenclature used throughout this measure to specify that the regulations established apply to "dental service corporations" instead of "dental insurers";

(2)  Restricting the definition of "provider" to include only those persons licensed to practice dentistry as defined in section 448-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to prevent unlicensed persons from providing dental care services;

(3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2112, to encourage further discussion; and

(4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for 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 S.B. No. 1073, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1073, S.D. 2, 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