STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1176-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 2891

S.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 2891, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TELEHEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to facilitate the provision of health care services to residents of rural and urban medically underserved areas by establishing a telehealth pilot project to expose health care providers and patients to the benefits, efficacy, and delivery methods of telehealth.

The Department of Health, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, Mayor of Hawaii County, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Hawai‘i Primary Care Association, Wahiawa Center for Community Health, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Hawaii Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association, and Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition supported this measure. The State Procurement Office offered comments on this measure.

Your Committee notes the testimony of the Department of Health, which estimated that the budget for each telehealth site is $90,000. Specifically, each telehealth site would need to budget $20,000 for clinic equipment costs; $30,000 for staffing costs; $15,000 for patient supplies, outreach and education; and $25,000 for evaluation services.

Your Committee has amended this measure by specifying that the Hawaii Public Procurement Code and the procurement law applicable to the purchase of health and human services will not apply to the purchases or contracts made by the telehealth pilot project for a period of twelve months.

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 S.B. No. 2891, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2891, S.D. 1, 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