STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2924

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 64

       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 Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 64 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT A STUDY OF MANDATORY HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR NUTRITION AND LIFESTYLE PROGRAMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Auditor to conduct a study of mandatory health insurance coverage for nutrition and lifestyle programs.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawai‘i Primary Care Association, Hawai‘i Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that the rates of diabetes and pre-diabetes have been steadily increasing in Hawaii.  According to testimony received by your Committee, almost 600,000 people in Hawaii currently live with diabetes or pre-diabetes.  Your Committee further finds that the National Diabetes Prevention Program, a program developed and evaluated by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has been proven to reduce the onset of diabetes in at-risk adults by fifty-eight percent and has shown that only moderate weight loss is required to achieve preventive health benefits.

     Your Committee additionally finds that H.B. No. 2220, H.D. 1, introduced during the Regular Session of 2016, requires health insurance coverage for lifestyle and nutrition programs intended to treat diabetes and pre-diabetes.  This measure requests the Auditor to conduct a study on the mandatory health insurance coverage for nutrition and lifestyle programs.  Your Committee notes that although many of Hawaii's health plans cover screenings for pre-diabetes, most health plans do not cover National Diabetes Prevention Program services that can help people achieve normal blood sugar levels and prevent diabetes.

     Your Committee also notes that a recommended first step for health insurance coverage of lifestyle programs intended to treat diabetes and pre-diabetes is expanding insurance coverage to include access to the National Diabetes Prevention Program.  Accordingly, your Committee finds that an analysis of mandatory insurance coverage for the National Diabetes Prevention Program offered to patients found to have abnormal blood glucose should be included in the Auditor's report.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting references to H.B. No. 2220, H.D. 1, Regular Session of 2016;

     (2)  Inserting language regarding the prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes in Hawaii;

     (3)  Inserting language regarding the National Diabetes Prevention Program and recommendations from the United Statutes Preventive Services Task Force;

     (4)  Noting that most of Hawaii's health plans do not cover National Diabetes Prevention Program services that can help people achieve normal blood sugar levels and prevent diabetes;

     (5)  Requesting the Auditor to include in the sunrise analysis an analysis of mandatory insurance coverage for the National Diabetes Prevention Program offered to patients found to have abnormal blood glucose;

     (6)  Requesting the Auditor to submit a report of findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the Regular Session of 2017;

     (7)  Updating the title for clarity; and

     (8)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 64, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 64, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair