STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1225-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   S.B. No. 2396

      S.D. 2

      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 Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2396, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to preserve access to health care for Medicaid recipients by:

     (1)  Providing an inflationary adjustment to the long-term care reimbursement methodology used to reimburse facilities for Medicaid recipients; and

     (2)  Appropriating funds for the inflationary adjustment.

Aloha Nursing Rehab Centre, East Hawaii Region of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, Ann Pearl Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, Garden Isle Healthcare and Rehabilitation, Hale Kupuna Heritage Home, Hale Makua Wailuku, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Ohana Pacific Management Company, Inc., Palolo Chinese Home, Pu‘uwai ‘O Makaha, The Queen's Health Systems, Hawaii Pacific Health, Hale Makua Health Services, The Clarence T.C. Ching Villas at St. Francis, The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation Oahu Region, One Kalakaua Senior Living, and Protect Leahi & Maluhia ‘Ohana supported this measure.  The Department of Human Services provided comments.  

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to take effect upon its approval.

     Should your Committee on Finance deliberate on this measure further, your Committee on Human Services respectfully requests that it consider inserting $1,900,000 for the purpose of providing a cost increase to long-term care facilities' provider-specific prospective payment rates.

     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 S.B. No. 2396, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2396, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

DEE MORIKAWA, Chair