STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2119

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2857

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2857 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish within the Department of Human Services, a five-year Child Wellness Incentive Pilot Program that pays $50 to a State Medicaid benefit recipient who is a parent to a child, each time the child completes a well-child examination.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services; Hawaii Medical Service Association; Hawaii Association of Health Plans; and American Academy of Pediatrics, Hawaii Chapter. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Hawaii Family Advocacy Team.

Your Committee finds that well-child examinations, also known as well-child visits, well-care visits, and well-care checkups, allow for comprehensive assessment of a child and the opportunity for further evaluation if abnormalities are detected. High-quality well-child visits can improve children's health, support caregivers' behaviors to promote their children's health, and prevent injury and harm. Your Committee 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. The five-year child wellness incentive pilot program established by this measure will incentivize Medicaid benefit recipients to complete their children's well-child examinations to ensure the health of children in Hawaii.

Your Committee notes the testimony of the Hawaii Medical Service Association, requesting that the rules adopted by the Department of Human Services to implement this measure provide that the Child Wellness Incentive Pilot Program covers children enrolled in the Children's Health Insurance Program and for a "well-child examination" to be deemed complete, the program must receive an Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment documentation completed by the examination provider.

Your Committee has reviewed the testimony of the Department of Budget and Finance expressing concerns regarding this measure's possible effect on the State's obligation to adhere to the maintenance of effort requirements as a recipient of Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief funds under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Recovery Plan Act of 2021. Your Committee finds that this issue raises concerns that merit further consideration and respectfully requests that your Committee on Ways and Means further examine those issues and concerns raised by the testimonies on this measure.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

(2) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2857, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2857, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair