STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3690

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 228

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 228 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT A SUNRISE ANALYSIS ON MANDATING HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR ANNUAL MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Auditor to conduct a sunrise analysis on mandating health insurance coverage for annual mental health screenings.

Your Committee did not receive any testimony on this measure.

Your Committee finds that eighteen percent of adults in the United States experience mental illness or disorder, and that almost half of those individuals do not receive mental health treatment for their mental illness. Properly identifying and screening for mental illness could help reduce the health care costs and lost wages attributed to untreated mental illness every year. Senate Bill No. 728, Regular Session of 2021 (S.B. No. 728), would require health insurers and similar entities that provide coverage for health care to provide coverage for annual mental health screenings. This measure requests the Auditor to conduct a social and financial impact assessment of the proposed mandated coverage in S.B. No. 728, pursuant to sections 23-51 and 23-52, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to further efforts to support the mental health of residents in the State.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 228 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

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ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair