CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 102-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2014

RE:    S.B. No. 2054

       S.D. 3

       H.D. 3

       C.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2054, S.D. 3, H.D. 3, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require health insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations to provide coverage for screening, diagnosis, and treatment of autism spectrum disorders up to an unspecified maximum benefit and maximum lifetime benefit for individuals under an unspecified age;

     (2)  Require the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization to contract for the performance of an actuarial analysis of the projected costs of providing insurance coverage for screening, diagnosis, and treatment of autism spectrum disorders; and

     (3)  Appropriate funds to contract for the performance of the actuarial analysis.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that applied behavior analysis is an effective and medically necessary treatment for autism that is supported by many organizations, including the United States Surgeon General, American Academy of Pediatrics, and Autism Society of America.  However, many families with autistic children cannot afford the treatments.  Your Committee on Conference further finds that an actuarial analysis of the projected costs of providing insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorder treatments will assist the State in determining how best to help families with autistic children.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Amending the findings section to clarify the purpose of the measure;

     (2)  Deleting language that requires health insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations to provide coverage for autism spectrum disorder treatments;

     (3)  Requiring the Insurance Commissioner, instead of the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, to contract for the performance of the actuarial analysis and submit a report to the Legislature;

     (4)  Inserting an appropriation amount of $50,000;

     (5)  Changing the expending agency to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, instead of the University of Hawaii;

     (6)  Making the measure effective upon approval; provided that the appropriation takes effect on July 1, 2014; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2054, S.D. 3, H.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2054, S.D. 3, H.D. 3, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI, Co-Chair	______________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair
____________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Co-Chair	______________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Co-Chair
____________________________ SYLVIA LUKE, Co-Chair	______________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Co-Chair