STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2004

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 96

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 96 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO ASSESS THE SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF MANDATORY HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR FERTILITY PRESERVATION PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER AND WHOSE CANCER OR CANCER TREATMENT MAY ADVERSELY AFFECT THEIR FERTILITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Auditor to assess the social and financial effects of mandatory health insurance coverage for fertility preservation procedures for certain persons who have been diagnosed with cancer and whose cancer or cancer treatment may adversely affect their fertility.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Society of Clinical Oncology; Association for Clinical Oncology; American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network; Advanced Reproductive Medicine & Gynecology of Hawaii, Inc. dba Fertility Institute of Hawaii; and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Medical Service Association.

Your Committee finds that certain cancers and treatments may affect a person's fertility. While a person may desire to undergo fertility preservation procedures to prepare for these possible impacts to fertility, many individuals are unable to obtain these desired procedures due to their high cost. As a first step to addressing this gap in insurance coverage for reproductive health care, this measure requests the Auditor to perform the statutorily required assessment on the impacts of mandating and expanding health insurance coverage for fertility preservation procedures for certain persons who have been diagnosed with cancer.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 96, and recommends its adoption.

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

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair