STAND. COM. REP. NO. 880

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 880

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 880, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE NURSING FACILITY SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to continue the nursing facility sustainability program by:

 

     (1)  Extending the sunset date of Act 156, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012; and

 

     (2)  Appropriating funds for the program for fiscal year 2013-2014.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Hawaii Long Term Care Association, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, Hale Makua Health Services, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Pearl City Nursing Home, and three individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that the nursing facility sustainability program leverages available federal funding for the Department of Human Services to make supplemental payments to nursing facilities to help offset their uncompensated care costs, thereby promoting the sustainability of long-term care facilities in the State.  This measure will benefit Hawaii residents by enabling nursing facilities to continue to provide much needed long-term care services.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of June 29, 2013.

 

     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 H.B. No. 880, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 880, H.D. 2, 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