STAND. COM. REP. NO.2591

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: S.B. No. 2140

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2140 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PRESUMPTIVE MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY FOR PREGNANT WOMEN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide presumptive eligibility for Medicaid or QUEST coverage to pregnant women for prenatal care and other medically indicated services.

This bill requires the Department of Human Services to presume that pregnant women are eligible for Medicaid or QUEST coverage for prenatal and other medically indicated services, if applicants show proof of pregnancy and meet income qualifications. Under this bill, infants of women presumptively covered under QUEST are deemed eligible for medical services, and would be processed for the State's Children's Health Insurance Program.

Your Committee believes that early and continuous prenatal care for pregnant women is the primary cost-effective method for preventing low birthweight in infants and poor birth outcomes. Having a low birthweight infant has been determined to be among the three most expensive hospital stays. Pregnant women were presumed eligible for prenatal Medicaid care prior to the inception of the QUEST program in 1994. That presumption did not carry over to QUEST, which has caused lengthy processing delays under QUEST. This bill would eliminate these delays, which may take up to an unacceptable four to six weeks.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2140 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair