STAND. COM. REP. NO.  550

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 580

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 580, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE LICENSURE OF DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT SUPPLIERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure that patients in the State have improved access to critical, life-sustaining medical supplies by establishing and funding the Durable Medical Equipment Supplier Licensing and Patient Protection Program (Program) in the Office of Health Care Assurance to administer licensure and operational requirements for durable medical equipment suppliers participating in the nationwide competitive bidding program.

Hawaii Primary Care Association, The Queen's Health Systems, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation Corporate Board of Directors supported this measure.  The Hawaii Association of Health Plans opposed this measure.  The Department of the Attorney General, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Department of Health, Board of Pharmacy, and the Hawaii Medical Service Association offered comments.   

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Broadening the Program to make it applicable to all suppliers of durable medical equipment; and

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

     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 H.B. No. 580, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 580, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair