STAND. COM. REP. NO.1261-02

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.R. No. 89

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, to which was referred H.R. No. 89 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER TO DO AN ACTUARIAL ANALYSIS OF THE UTILIZATION AND RATE IMPACTS, IF ANY, OF REINSTATING NATUROPATHY AMONG THE PERSONAL INJURY PROTECTION BENEFITS IN MOTOR VEHICLE INSURANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this resolution is to request the State Insurance Commissioner to perform an actuarial analysis to determine if reinstating naturopathy among the personal injury protection (PIP) benefits in motor vehicle insurance will affect utilization and to what degree it could impact insurance rates.

The Department of Commerce and Consumer Protection and the Hawaii Society of Naturopathic Physicians submitted testimony in support of this resolution.

Your Committee finds that Act 251, Session Laws of Hawaii 1997, removed acupuncture and naturopathic treatment from mandatory PIP automobile insurance benefits, leaving chiropractic treatment as the only alternative medical treatment eligible for insurance reimbursement. Acupuncture was reinstated in 1998, however, naturopathic treatment remained an optional alternative at extra cost.

 

Your Committee further finds that presently, there is no reliable data that evaluates how and to what degree reinstating naturopathic treatment in the motor vehicle insurance injury PIP statute will affect utilization and insurance rates. Without this necessary information, legislators are unable to make informed and educated decisions on this issue. Once the State Insurance Commissioner is able to complete this assessment, concerns over utilization and insurance rates will no longer be held in a "we-say, they-say" argument but will be grounded in actuarial data and evidence.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 89 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

 

____________________________

KENNETH T. HIRAKI, Chair