STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2988

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 694

H.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 694, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish and appropriate funds for the health analytics program and four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) positions within the Med-QUEST Division of the Department of Human Services; and

(2) Authorize the health analytics program to maintain an all-payers medical claims database.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Department of Budget and Finance, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, University of Hawai‘i System, Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund, Office of Enterprise Technology Services, State Health Planning and Development Agency, Hawai‘i Primary Care Association, Hawaii Medical Association, and Hawaii Medical Service Association.

Your Committee finds that Act 139, Session Laws of Hawaii 2016, broadened the scope of health and health care data and other information to facilitate greater transparency and understanding of healthcare costs, improve healthcare system quality, population health outcomes, and health disparities through the development of an all-payers medical claims database. Your Committee further finds that the establishment of a health analytics program and all-payers medical claims database will allow the Med-QUEST Division to meet critical Medicaid-specific operational and policy goals and implement and evaluate programs to improve the State's healthcare delivery system and overall long-term health and well-being.

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 H.B. No. 694, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

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JOSH GREEN, Chair