STAND. COM. REP. NO. 912-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 1637

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1637, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Eliminate the spending ceiling for using monies in the Civil Monetary Penalty Special Fund by the Department of Health for compliance activities approved by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services;

(2) Specifically include supplemental health care benefits, such as in-home care, adult day care, and other non-medical, in-home items and services as acceptable expenditures by the Department of Health out of the Civil Monetary Penalty Special Fund; and

(3) Appropriate funds for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent Medicare administrator position within the Department of Health for outreach and support for those transitioning to Medicare coverage.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health, Executive Office on Aging, and Healthcare Association of Hawaii.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1637, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair