STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1148-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2469

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 2469, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TELEHEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure to improve access to health care services in the State by, among other things:

     (1)  Requiring equivalent insurance reimbursement for services provided by a health care provider to a patient, regardless of whether the service is provided through telehealth or via face-to-face contact between a health care provider and patient;

     (2)  Clarifying the definition of health care provider for telehealth purposes; and

     (3)  Replacing references to "telemedicine" with "telehealth" and clarifying the definition of "telehealth" throughout the Hawaii Revised Statutes.

The Healthcare Transformation Coordinator, Office of the Governor; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; State Council on Developmental Disabilities; Department of Health; Hawaii Medical Service Association; Healthcare Association of Hawaii; Hawaii State Center for Nursing; Hawaii Medical Association; Hawaii Pacific Health; Hawaii Disability Rights Center; American Association of Nurse Practitioners; and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  A concerned individual testified in opposition to this measure.  The Department of Human Services and the Hawaii Medical Board commented on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying that a provider of telehealth includes primary care providers, mental health providers, physicians and osteopathic physicians, advanced practice registered nurses, psychologists, and dentists.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2469, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2469, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair