STAND. COM. REP. NO. 11

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 112

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 112 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to provide basic dental services for covered adults enrolled in MedQUEST programs.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Kalihi-Palama Health Center, Mental Health Association in Hawaii, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, Papa Ola Lokahi and two individuals. Testimony in opposition was received from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that oral health and other health conditions often go hand in hand, including associations between chronic oral infections and diabetes, heart and lung disease, stroke and low-birth-weight births. These conditions are more costly to treat than effective oral health care. In addition, poor oral health and its affect on a person's appearance are linked to reduced school attendance and poorer prospects for getting and maintaining employment. Thus, your Committee believes basic dental services should be provided to adults enrolled in MedQUEST programs.

Your Committee amended the bill by appropriating $20,272,662 from the state general funds after it was determined that the need for the program was $48,814,500. The remainder of the funding, $28,541,838, will be provided by the federal government.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 112, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 112, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair