THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

81

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO ASSESS THE SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF REQUIRING HEALTH INSURERS TO provide COVERAGE FOR alcohol and drug abuse screening in emergency rooms.

 

 

WHEREAS, screening individuals for substance abuse and referring them to substance abuse treatment, if necessary, are effective techniques to reduce alcohol and drug problems; and

WHEREAS, however, laws in over thirty states allow insurance companies to refuse to pay for emergency room care if physicians discover alcohol abuse; and

WHEREAS, furthermore, doctors are not paid to screen for alcohol and drug abuse in the same way that they are for other common conditions like diabetes and depression and, therefore, many may choose not to do so; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature believes that alcohol and drug abuse screening as part of treatment provided in an emergency room will help to substantially reduce illness and assist in the maintenance of good health for the people of this State;

WHEREAS, section 23-51, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), requires that "[b]efore any legislative measure that mandates health insurance coverage for specific health services, specific diseases, or certain providers of health care services as part of individual or group health insurance policies, can be considered, there shall be concurrent resolutions passed requesting the auditor to prepare and submit to the legislature a report that assesses both the social and financial effects of the proposed mandated coverage"; and

WHEREAS, section 23-51, HRS, further provides that "[t]he concurrent resolutions shall designate a specific legislative bill that:

(1) Has been introduced in the legislature; and

(2) Includes, at a minimum, information identifying the:

    1. Specific health service, disease, or provider that would be covered;

(B) Extent of the coverage;

(C) Target groups that would be covered;

(D) Limits on utilization, if any; and

(E) Standards of care.

For purposes of this part, mandated health insurance coverage shall not include mandated optionals"; and

WHEREAS, S.B. No. 1443 (2005) proposes to require mandatory coverage for alcohol and drug abuse screening and counseling in an emergency room or as part of routine primary care under all policies and contracts, hospital and medical service plan contracts, medical service corporation contracts, and health maintenance organization plans and contracts issued after December 31, 2005; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature wishes to have the Auditor perform a "sunrise" analysis of S.B. No. 1443 (2005), but only with respect to the impact of requiring health insurance coverage for alcohol and drug abuse screening, not alcohol and drug abuse counseling, and only with respect to treatment provided as part of emergency room care, and not as part of routine primary care; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Auditor is requested to conduct an impact assessment, pursuant to sections 23-51 and 23-52, HRS, of the social and financial impacts of mandating coverage for alcohol and drug abuse screening in emergency rooms under all policies and contracts, hospital and medical service plan contracts, medical service corporation contracts, and health maintenance organization plans and contracts issued after December 31, 2005, as provided in S.B. No. 1443 (2005); and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor is requested to submit the Auditor's findings and recommendations to the Legislature, including any necessary implementing legislation, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2006; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Auditor and to the Insurance Commissioner, the latter who is requested to transmit copies to each insurer in the State that issues health insurance policies.

Report Title:

Mandatory Coverage; Drug/Alcohol Screening; Emergency Care