STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2756

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2009

       S.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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2009, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to provide quality, cost-effective health care for the uninsured, newly uninsured, potential medicaid enrollees, or medicaid enrollees in the State.

     Specifically, the measure appropriates funds:

(1)  To the Department of Health to provide direct health care services for the uninsured and underinsured;

(2)  To the Department of Human Services to restore basic adult dental benefits to Medicaid enrollees and to provide outreach and eligibility services for individuals and families at federally qualified health centers;

(3)  To the Department of Health and the Department of Human Services to establish health care homes; and

(4)  To the Department of Health to provide behavioral health services at federally qualified community health centers.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Office of the Governor, State of Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Hana Health, Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, Lanai Community Health Center, Ho'ola Lahui Hawaii, Waimanalo Health Center, Koolauloa Health Center, Community Alliance for Mental Health, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, and one individual.  The Department of Human Services, the Department of the Attorney General, the Hawaii Primary Care Association, and the Bay Clinic submitted written comments on the measure.

     Your Committee finds that Community Health Centers serve uninsured, underinsured, and low-income patient populations with demographic complexities and co-morbidities.  Your Committee further finds that with the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, it is imperative that Community Health Centers are sufficiently funded and operational to continue providing valuable health care services to those in need.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing the references from "health care homes" to "health homes";

(2)  Clarifying that the moneys appropriated from the community health centers special fund to the Department of Health shall be transferred to the Department of Human Services to establish health homes;

(3)  Changing all of the appropriations to an unspecified amount;

(4)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(5)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2009, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2009, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair