STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3397

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 74

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 74 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO ASSESS THE SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF REQUIRING HEALTH INSURERS TO PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR CERTAIN NATIVE HAWAIIAN CULTURE-BASED ACTIVITIES,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Auditor to conduct an impact assessment report of the social and financial impacts of mandating coverage for Native Hawaiian culture-based practices that have been empirically shown to have an effect in the management of weight, cardiovascular health, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu; Hawaiian Affairs Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; Hoomana Pono, LLC; and Hoomanapono Political Action Committee.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from Papa Ola Lōkahi, Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies, and one individual.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from one individual.

 

     Your Committees find that Native Hawaiians have the highest rates of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, certain cancers, and mortality rates among any ethnic group in Hawaii.  Your Committees further find that traditional Native Hawaiian practices, such as hula and canoe paddling, have been proven to be effective in weight management, cardiovascular health, diabetes management, and chronic kidney disease management.  Your Committees believe that supporting traditional Native Hawaiian practices of healing is beneficial, and coverage for certain Native Hawaiian practices has the potential to substantially reduce illness and promote good health.  Your Committees also believe that the potential for traditional Native Hawaiian practices to improve health merits further study into insurance coverage for certain Native Hawaiian culture-based practices.

 

     Your Committees note that the Auditor may not have the necessary expertise or knowledge of traditional Native Hawaiian culture-based practices and that Papa Ola Lōkahi, the consultative body to the federal government in matters of Native Hawaiian health and Hawaiian healing traditions and practices, may be better suited to implement this measure.

 

     Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting all references to the Auditor;

 

     (2)  Deleting language regarding the statutory requirement of passing a concurrent resolution requesting the Auditor to prepare and submit a report on the social and financial effects of a proposed health insurance coverage prior to considering any legislative measures that mandates health insurance coverage for specific health services, among other things, and deleting the reference to S.B. No. 1315, Regular Session of 2017;

 

     (3)  Inserting language requesting Papa Ola Lōkahi to conduct an assessment of the impact on social, financial, and cultural integrity of providing coverage for Native Hawaiian culture-based practices and Native Hawaiian healing practices that have shown to be effective in managing certain health concerns and requesting Papa Ola Lōkahi to submit its findings and recommendations regarding the assessment to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2020; and

 

     (4)  Amending its title to reflect its amended purpose.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 74, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 74, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

 

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

 

________________________________

MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair