STAND. COM. REP. NO.  31-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2018

RE:   H.B. No. 1705

      H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health & Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1705 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH COVERAGE FOR PORT-WINE STAINS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require insurers, hospital and medical services plans, and health maintenance organizations to provide coverage, beginning January 1, 2019, for the treatment of port-wine stains.

The Kupuna Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii supported this measure.  The Department of the Attorney General, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hawaii Medical Service Association, and American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring insurers and health maintenance organizations to provide notice through their website or via email to their policyholders regarding the port-wine stain coverage provided by this measure no later than January 1, 2019; and

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health & Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1705, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1705, 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 & Human Services,

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair