STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1176-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2009

      S.D. 2

      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 Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2009, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expand health care services for uninsured, underinsured, and underserved low-income individuals.  Specifically, this measure appropriates funds to:

(1)  Provide primary medical, dental, and behavioral health care to uninsured and underinsured patients;

(2)  Restore basic adult dental benefits to Medicaid enrollees;

(3)  Provide outreach and eligibility services at Federally Qualified Health Centers;

(4)  Establish a health homes program in the Medicaid program and at Federally Qualified Health Centers; and

(5)  Provide behavioral health services at Federally Qualified Community Health Centers.

The Office of the Governor, Department of Health, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Community Alliance for Mental Health, United Self Help, Ho‘ola Lahui Hawai‘i, Waimanalo Health Center, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Human Services provided comments on this measure.

     Should your Committee on Finance choose to hear this measure, your Committee respectfully requests the Committee on Finance to include the following appropriation amounts in its deliberations:

(1)  $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2014-2015 for the provision of direct health care for uninsured and underinsured individuals;

(2)  $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2014-2015 to re-establish adult dental benefits for Medicaid enrollees;

(3)  $987,000 for fiscal year 2014-2015 for outreach and eligibility services at Federally Qualified Health Centers; and

(4)  $3,016,000 for fiscal year 2014-2015 to secure matching funds to establish a health homes program in the Medicaid program; $1,000,000 of which shall provide staff and administrative support for administration of the program.

     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. 2009, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2009, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

MELE CARROLL, Chair