STAND. COM. REP. NO.  267

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 90

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 90 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE NURSING FACILITY SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM,"

beg leave to report as follows:

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

(1)  Extending the Nursing Facility Sustainability Fee Program for one year; and

(2)  Appropriating funds out of the Nursing Facility Sustainability Program Special Fund (Special Fund) for fiscal year 2017-2018.

The Department of Human Services, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, East Hawaii Region of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, The Queen's Health Systems, and an individual testified in support of this measure.  Healthcare Association of Hawaii; Ohana Pacific Management Company, Inc.; Aloha Nursing Rehab Centre; Hale Makua Health Services; One Kalakaua Senior Living; and several individuals testified in support of this measure with amendments.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1)  Extending the Nursing Facility Sustainability Fee Program for two years instead of one year;

(2)  Amending the appropriation to an unspecified amount for each year of fiscal biennium 2017-2019;

(3)  Changing its effective date to June 29, 2075, provided that section 7 of this measure take shall effect on July 1, 2075, to facilitate further discussion; and

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

Should this measure be heard by the Committee on Finance, your Committees respectfully request that it consider appropriating $14,000,000 out of the Special Fund for each year of the 2017-2019 fiscal biennium.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 90, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 90, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Health,

____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair

____________________________ DEE MORIKAWA, Chair