STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1094-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: S.B. No. 2439

S.D. 1

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 Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2439, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require health insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations to provide coverage for the cost of auto-injectable epinephrine, based on appropriate weight-based dosage, for insured persons eighteen years of age or younger, beginning on January 1, 2021.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Department of the Attorney General, and Hawaii Medical Service Association.

Your Committee finds that epinephrine is necessary to prevent deadly anaphylaxis. Pharmaceutical companies have dramatically increased the prices for lifesaving auto-injectable epinephrine in the past, jeopardizing access to this critical drug. This measure requires health insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations to provide coverage for the cost of auto-injectable epinephrine to ensure increased access for minors. Your Committee notes that the additional mandated health insurance benefit proposed by this measure and the requirement for an impact assessment report warrant continued discussion as this measure moves through the legislative process.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have exempted the mandated coverage proposed by this measure from the requirements of an impact assessment report conducted by the Auditor;

(2) Requiring the Auditor to conduct an impact assessment report on the social and financial impacts of the mandatory health insurance coverage proposed by this measure;

(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2439, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2439, 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,

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair