STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 2071
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2025
RE: S.C.R. No. 8
S.D. 1
Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2025
State of Hawaii
Madame:
Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 8, S.D. 1, entitled:
"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO ASSESS BOTH THE SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF PROPOSED MANDATED HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR A PERCENTAGE OF THE COSTS OF INTRAVENOUS KETAMINE THERAPY TO TREAT DEPRESSION,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The
purpose of this measure is to request
the Auditor to assess the social and financial effects of proposed mandated
health insurance coverage for a percentage of costs of intravenous ketamine
therapy to treat depression.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from two individuals.
Your Committee finds
that the use of ketamine has been shown to be a valid option for the treatment
of treatment-resistant depression and that intravenous ketamine therapy is a
safer form of treatment with a lower risk of addiction when compared to nasal
spray treatment. However, this therapy
is often not covered by insurance, making it cost prohibitive for many patients
who would greatly benefit from intravenous ketamine therapy. Your Committee further finds that Senate Bill
No. 967, Regular Session of 2025 (SB967), proposes requiring all health
insurers in the State to cover an unspecified percentage of the cost of
intravenous ketamine therapy to treat depression, which would be considered a
new mandated health insurance benefit.
Your Committee further
finds that, pursuant to sections 23-51 and 23-52, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the
social and financial impact of a proposed mandated health insurance benefit
must be assessed by the Auditor before it can be enacted into law. This measure therefore requests the Auditor
to conduct a statutorily required impact assessment report on the social and
financial effects of the new mandated health insurance benefit proposed by SB967.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 8, S.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,
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____________________________ GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair |
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