STAND. COM. REP. NO.  39

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 665

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 665 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VICTIMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require that health insurance coverage for mental health treatment includes coverage of case management services provided by licensed mental health providers to survivors of sexual violence.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, Sex Abuse Treatment Center, the Hawaii Section of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Hawaii Women's Coalition, IMUAlliance, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and several individuals.  The Department of Human Services and Hawaii Medical Service Association submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying the scope and specifying the allowable providers of case management services that shall be a covered benefit;

     (2)  Permitting health plans the option of providing direct delivery and coverage of case management services rather than requiring that services be contracted out and reimbursable;

     (3)  Specifying that the coverage requirement shall apply to all policies, contracts, plans, and agreements, including those connected with the Employer-Union Trust Fund, that are issued or renewed in the State on or after January 1, 2018;

     (4)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2090; and

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 665, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 665, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair