STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1460

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 600

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 600, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMUNITY CARE FOSTER FAMILY HOMES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to recognize the varied needs of the State's aging population.

     Specifically, the measure:

     (1)  Authorizes the Department of Health to permit two persons who are not Medicaid recipients to be cared for in the same community care foster family home if:

          (A)  The community care foster family home is certified for three beds;

          (B)  Operators of the three-bed community care foster family home immediately notify the Department of any vacancy in writing; and

          (C)  Two of the three nursing level clients are in a marriage or civil union relationship; and

     (2)  Requires the Department of Health to submit a report to the Legislature on the authorization to allow two persons who are not Medicaid recipients to be cared for in the same community care foster family home, including its impact on the availability of space for Medicaid recipients.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Adult Foster Home Association of Hawaii and thirteen individuals.  The Department of Human Services provided comments on the measure.

     Your Committee finds that community care foster family homes provide an essential function in the State by providing twenty-four-hour living accommodations, which include housing, supervision, personal care, and assistance with daily living activities for their residents.  Under current law, community care foster family homes are licensed to provide accommodations and services to not more than two adults at any one time, at least one of whom shall be a Medicaid recipient, who are at the nursing facility level of care.  However, under certain conditions, the Department of Health may certify a community care foster family home for a third adult who is at the nursing level of care and a Medicaid recipient.

Your Committee believes that, by allowing two persons who are not Medicaid recipients to be cared for in the same community care foster family home if certain conditions are met, this measure provides more long-term care options for persons in a marriage or civil union relationship who need care in a community care foster family home, but who are not Medicaid recipients.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Defining the terms "medicaid bed" and "private-pay bed" in section 321-481, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

     (3)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 600, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 600, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair