STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2099

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 1473

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 1473, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Departments of Health, Human Services, and Education to research what rules, policies, and plan amendments are necessary to ensure medically necessary services, including applied behavior analysis services, for individuals twenty-six years of age or younger with neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, are covered under the following:

(1) The Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment benefit under the State's Medicaid program;

(2) Any applicable state special education services and programs; and

(3) The Medicaid Section 1915(c) Home and Community Based Waiver for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Hawaii Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders FASD Action Group, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Hawai‘i Association for Behavior Analysis, and five individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and Department of Health.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1473, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1473, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair