STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1215

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   S.B. No. 27

      S.D. 1

      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 Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 27, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO RESTORE BASIC ADULT DENTAL BENEFITS TO MEDICAID ENROLLEES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to restore basic adult dental benefits to Medicaid enrollees, with a requirement that the Department of Human Services obtain the maximum federal matching funds available for this expenditure.

The State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Disability and Communication Access Board, Ho‘ola Lahui Hawaii, Hawaii Primary Care Association, AlohaCare, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, Community Clinic of Maui dba Malama I Ke Ola Health Center, Waimanalo Health Center, The Queen's Health Systems, Lanai Community Health Center, Hawaii Public Health Association, Hawaii Public Health Institute, PHOCUSED, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, West Hawaii Community Health Center, Waikiki Health, Hawaii Dental Service, Hawaii Pacific Health, Partners in Care, We Are One, Inc., and several individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Human Services, Department of Health, and an individual provided comments on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2070, to facilitate further discussion.

     Should the Committee on Finance deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider appropriating $4,704,480 for fiscal year 2017-2018 and $9,408,960 for fiscal year 2018-2019 to restore basic adult dental benefits to Medicaid enrollees.  

     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. 27, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 27, S.D. 1, 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