STAND. COM. REP. NO. 648

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 134
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which
was referred S.B. No. 134 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to repeal the requirement
that physicians be certified to treat alcohol and drug abuse for
purposes of mental health insurance benefits for treatment of
drug and alcohol abuse.

     The Department of Health and the Hawaii Psychiatric Medical
Association presented testimony in support of the measure.
Although not present at the hearing, Hawaii Biodyne, Inc.
submitted testimony in support of the measure.  The Insurance
Commissioner presented comments on the measure.

     Your Committee finds that the current law regarding alcohol
and drug abuse treatment insurance benefits unnecessarily
restricts coverage to those physicians with certification by the
American Society of Addiction Medicine.  Services by physicians
who hold an equivalent certification, such as the American Board
of Psychiatry and Neurology, are not covered.  As a result, it is
more difficult for persons in need of treatment to find services
that are covered by their health insurance.  

     Your Committee is also aware of the need to maintain high
quality medical services, and has amended this measure to:


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 648
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     (1)  Retain the requirement that physicians hold an American
          Society of Addiction Medicine certificate; and

     (2)  Include physicians who are "board certified in
          psychiatry with added qualifications in addiction
          psychiatry conferred by the American Board of
          Psychiatry and Neurology" within the definition of
          "certified substance abuse staff".   

     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 is in accord with the intent and
purpose of S.B. No. 134, as amended herein, and recommends that
it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B.
No. 134, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   BRIAN KANNO, Co-Chair



                                   ______________________________
                                   BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair

 
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