STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1215

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 76

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 76 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND HEALTH PLANS TO GATHER DATA REGARDING THE USE OF PUBLICLY FUNDED MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS BY PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to expand available information regarding Hawaii's homeless population by requesting that healthcare providers and health plans gather data regarding the use of publicly funded medical assistance programs by individuals experiencing homelessness.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Hawai‘i Pacific Health, and one individual.

     Your Committees find that homelessness is a complex issue that continues to require urgent and challenging action in Hawaii.  Chronically homeless individuals suffer from many complex health conditions that cannot be addressed without housing, and many individuals are unable to retain housing without needed social and health wrap-around services.

     Your Committees further find that more data is needed to benefit the immediate case management and health needs of homeless individuals, as well as for evaluation, analysis, and insight into creative solutions to address homelessness.  Specifically, information on the usage of healthcare can assist the Governor, Legislature, and public to make informed policy decisions about the allocation of resources and services necessary to assist the homeless.  Your Committees find that use of the ICD-10 diagnosis codes is one method that can be utilized to gather more comprehensive information on the health needs of homeless individuals and the healthcare resources being used to treat individuals who are homeless.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 76 and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair