STAND. COM. REP. NO.  632-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2342

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2342 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE NURSING FACILITY SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1)  Continue the Nursing Facility Sustainability Program by extending the program for an additional year; and

(2)  Appropriate $14,000,000 out of the Nursing Facility Sustainability Program Special Fund for fiscal year 2016-2017.

The Department of Human Services, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation Corporate Board of Directors, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hale Makua Health Services, Chief Financial Officer of Hale Makua Health Services, Administrator of Hale Makua Wailuku, Hawaii Primary Care Association, The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, and The Queen's Health Systems testified in support of this measure.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

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

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2342, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2342, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services,

____________________________ DEE MORIKAWA, Chair

____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair