STAND. COM. REP. NO. 462

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 1087

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1087 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to expand services to individuals receiving medical assistance by providing chiropractic coverage under Med-QUEST and Medicaid.

The American Chiropractic Association and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure. The Department of Human Services provided comments.

Your Committees find that chiropractic services are provided through many other state's medical assistance programs. Several testifiers stated that chiropractic care may reduce medical costs because costly surgeries may be avoided. Some testifiers also stated that individuals that are temporarily disabled who undergo chiropractic treatment return to work sooner than others. However, your Committees are cognizant of the financial implications of this measure if no coverage limit is specified.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this bill by:

(1) Limiting the number of chiropractic visits to 24 per calendar year;

(2) Specifying that the fee schedule follow the workers' compensation fee schedule; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1087, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1087, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Health,

 

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair

____________________________

ALEX M. SONSON, Chair