STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1081-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2624

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness, to which was referred S.B. No. 2624, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish and fund:

(1) A Telehealth Pilot Program to provide telehealth medical services in two distinct project sites in medically underserved areas; and

(2) A Rural Health Care Pilot Program to assist residents in three distinct rural areas, one each on the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, Disability and Communication Access Board, Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, and The Queen's Health Systems. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health, Department of Budget and Finance, State Council on Mental Health, Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing, and Hawaii Primary Care Association.

Your Committee finds that many Hawaii residents are unable to obtain timely and appropriate health care and behavioral health care due to shortages of primary, specialty, and behavioral health care providers. Your Committee further finds that although telehealth is a viable solution for maximizing existing local resources and increasing patient convenience and compliance, no more than fifteen percent of practicing providers in Hawaii report a telehealth experience. The pilot programs established by this measure address the lack of utilization of telehealth and will help improve the quality and availability of health care in rural areas and medically underserved in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Including psychiatrists among the specialties eligible to receive the availability fee under the Rural Health Care Pilot Project;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) 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, Human Services, & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2624, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2624, S.D. 2, 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, & Homelessness,

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair