STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1334-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 2660

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 Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 2660, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL COVERAGE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Expedite workers' compensation claims for injured employees by requiring the employee's private health insurance to cover the cost of a controverted claim, subject to reimbursement upon a later finding that the claim is compensable; and

(2) Require reimbursement by the employer of a firefighter with at least five years of service at a rate of up to 137 percent of the Medicaid reimbursement rate for workers' compensation claims for certain types of cancer with a high correlation to service-connected contaminant exposure.

The Hawaii State Fire Council, Mayor of the County of Hawaii, County of Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety, County of Hawaii Fire Department, Hawaii Fire Fighters Association, Local 1463, IAFF, AFL-CIO, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and an individual supported this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2660, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair