STAND. COM. REP. NO. 215________

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 894
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 894
entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE
     REIMBURSEMENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is ensure equal access to health
care for all residents and visitors by requiring all hospital and
individual health plan contracts to provide coverage and
equitable reimbursement for emergency services rendered by
helicopter aeromedical services.

     Maui County Emergency Medical Services submitted testimony
in support of this measure.  The Department of Health (DOH)
submitted testimony in support of the intent of this measure.
The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Kaiser
Permanente submitted comments.

     Your Committee finds that Section 23-51, Hawaii Revised
Statutes, requires the Legislative Auditor to conduct a study
assessing the social and financial impact of proposed mandated
health insurance coverage.  As such, your Committee has amended
this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring the Auditor to conduct the study and report
          back to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior
          to the convening of the Regular Session of 2000; and


 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 215________
                                 Page 2

 
     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for
          purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
894, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second
Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 894, H.D. 1, and
be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   ALEXANDER C. SANTIAGO, Chair