STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3139

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2717

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2717, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL ASSISTANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require rules adopted by the Director of Human Services to apply annual cost of living increases to the asset and income thresholds for Medicaid eligibility.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services.

     Your Committee finds that this measure allows the asset and income thresholds for Medicaid eligibility to increase as living costs increase, which will allow more individuals to become eligible or maintain eligibility for Medicaid while possessing sustainable levels of assets and income.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by requiring the rules determining asset and income thresholds for eligibility for Medicaid assistance to provide for the greater of annual cost of living increases or federal poverty level increases.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2717, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2717, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

________________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair