STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1176

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 109

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 109 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS TO PREPARE AND SUBMIT A PROPOSAL THAT DELINEATES HOW IT WILL INCREASE THE REIMBURSEMENT RATE TO PROVIDERS OF SERVICE FOR WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIMANTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations prepare and submit a proposal that delineates how it will increase the reimbursement rate to providers of service for workers' compensation claimants.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Hawaii Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association, ILWU Local 142, JACO Rehab Honolulu, two individuals, and a petition signed by thirty individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Libertarian Party of Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that access to healthcare providers for injured workers is often barred by a number of factors.  Your Committee further finds that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations has testified before your Committee that it favors an increase in the reimbursement rate to providers of service for workersꞌ compensation claimants and is considering other alternatives to the current fee schedule and plans to have a proposal for discussion shortly.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting a provision indicating that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations has stated that it is currently surveying prepaid health care providers and will be using the data to update the Workers' Compensation Supplemental Medical Fee Schedule, Exhibit A, effective January 1, 2018.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 109, 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. 109, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

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GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair