STAND. COM. REP. NO. 643-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 2144

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health & Human Services and Public Safety, to which was referred H.B. No. 2144 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATED TO MEDICAID,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to effectively support people who are incarcerated in their reentry into society by:

(1) Requiring the Department of Human Services to suspend rather than terminate an individual's Medicaid eligibility upon entry into a correctional facility; and

(2) Requiring the Department of Public Safety to inform inmates of the availability of assistance to secure or verify applicable Medicaid eligibility prior to an inmate's release.

The League of Women Voters of Hawaii, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, YWCA Oahu, and one concerned individual supported this measure. The Department of Human Services and Department of Public Safety provided comments.

Your Committees note that the Department of Public Safety and Department of Human Services have executed a data-share agreement that allows for file transfers of incarceration and release dates for individuals, so that the determination of Medicaid eligibility may begin prior to the release of the inmate and remain pending until the inmate is released.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Removing the provisions that required the Department of Human Services to suspend rather than terminate an individual's Medicaid eligibility upon entry into a correctional facility;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health & Human Services and Public Safety that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2144, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2144, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________ GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair

____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair