STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2043

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2192

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 2192 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require medical facilities, prior to filing for bankruptcy, to inform all current and former patients by written notice that they are entitled to a copy of their medical records at no charge and to provide a paper or electronic copy of the medical records within thirty or sixty days after the request depending upon the location of the records.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from two individuals.

     Your Committees find that since individuals are responsible for decisions respecting their own health care, they should possess a concomitant right of access to complete information respecting their condition and care provided.  Your Committees further find that individuals should not have to endure a long and expensive process to obtain medical records after a medical facility declares bankruptcy.  This measure will help ensure that medical records are readily available to patients and new care providers.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2192 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection,

____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

____________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair