CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 152-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2857

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2857, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD WELLNESS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a five-year Child Wellness Incentive Pilot Program within the Department of Human Services to pay $50 to a state Medicaid benefit recipient, each time the recipient parent's child completes a well-child examination; and

(2) Appropriate funds to establish, implement, and operate the program.

Your Committee on Conference finds that well-child examinations allow for the comprehensive assessment of a child and opportunity for further evaluation if abnormalities are detected. Your Committee on Conference also finds that when children receive the recommended number of high-quality visits, they are more likely to be up-to-date on immunizations, have developmental concerns recognized early, and are less likely to visit the emergency department. This measure will incentivize Medicaid benefit recipients to complete their children's well-child examinations and thereby promote the health of children in State.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an appropriation amount of $4,516,000;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2022; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2857, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2857, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE Co-Chair	____________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA Chair
____________________________ ADRIAN K. TAM Co-Chair	____________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO Co-Chair