STAND. COM. REP. NO.  132

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2252

      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 Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2252 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISCHARGE PLANNING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require hospitals to adopt and maintain written discharge policies that include patient designation of a caregiver who may participate in planning for and carrying out after-care following a patient's discharge from a hospital, consistent with recent updates to federal requirements.

The Department of Health, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, Hawaii Pacific Health, and several individuals testified in support of this measure.  The State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Maui County Office on Aging, The Queen's Health Systems, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Government Employees Association, Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition, Na Hoaloha – Maui Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers, AARP Hawaii, Policy Advisory Board for Office of Elder Affairs, ILWU Local 142, Concerned American Veterans, and numerous individuals commented on this measure.  An individual opposed this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Broadening the definition of "patient" to mean any individual admitted to a hospital for inpatient treatment;

(2)  Specifying that hospital discharge policies shall incorporate established guidelines or practices;

(3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2070, to facilitate further discussion; and

(4)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2252, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2252, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair