STAND. COM. REP. NO.  737-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 1599

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1599, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require and appropriate funds for medical assistance programs, including Medicaid and Quest, to provide coverage for chiropractic care for up to 24 visits in a calendar year;

     (2)  Require the Department of Human Services to submit a request to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to amend the state Medicaid plan to include chiropractic services as a benefit, allowing the State to receive federal reimbursement; and

     (3)  Require the Department of Human Services to report to the Legislature upon receiving a response from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on the requested amendment to the state Medicaid plan.

The Department of Human Services provided comments on this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1599, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair