STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1836

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 700

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Ways and Means and Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 700, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COGNITIVE ASSESSMENTS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to improve the detection and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related forms of dementia.

More specifically, the measure:

(1) Establishes and appropriates moneys for a Cognitive Assessments for Medicare Beneficiaries Pilot Program within the Executive Office on Aging;

(2) Requires the Executive Office on Aging to collaborate with a health care system for purposes of the pilot program;

(3) Requires health care providers participating in the pilot program to submit certain information to the Executive Office on Aging; and

(4) Requires the Executive Office on Aging to report de‑identified aggregated data to the Legislature.

Your Committees received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, AARP Hawaii, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Hawaii Psychological Association, Hawaii Public Health Association, Alzheimer's Association - Hawaii, A Honu Space LLC, and numerous individuals.

Your Committees received written comments on this measure from the Executive Office on Aging and Healthcare Association of Hawaii.

Your Committees find that the pilot program established and cognitive assessments required by this measure will help improve the lives of dementia patients and their families by supporting early dementia detection and intervention.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Adopting substantive amendments recommended by the Alzheimer's Association to:

(A) Change the name of the Cognitive Assessments for Medicare Beneficiaries Pilot Program to the Dementia Data Pilot Program;

(B) Make health care provider reporting optional, rather than mandatory;

(C) Provide flexibility for the Executive Office on Aging to develop the Dementia Data Pilot Program;

(D) Sunset the Dementia Data Pilot Program two years from its start date;

(E) Insert a new part in Chapter 349, Hawaii Revised Statutes, requiring validated cognitive assessment tools for cognitive assessments to be used at annual wellness visits; and

(F) Include patients covered under Medicare Part C in the definition of a "qualified patient" and adding a definition for Medicare Part C; and

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

Your Committees note that the Executive Office on Aging requests appropriations of $150,000 for fiscal year 2025-2026 and $300,000 for fiscal year 2026-2027 to implement the Dementia Data Pilot Program established by this measure.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Ways and Means and Commerce and Consumer Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 700, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 700, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Ways and Means and Commerce and Consumer Protection,

________________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair