STAND. COM. REP. NO.  654

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   H.B. No. 152

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 152, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION MEDICAL FEE SCHEDULES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to help align the workers' compensation medical fee schedule with the current cost of health care by increasing the cap on allowable medical fees from 110 percent to 130 percent of the fees prescribed in the Medicare Resource Based Relative Value Scale beginning January 1, 2014.

 

     The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; ILWU Local 142; Hawaii State AFL-CIO; Hawaii Chapter, American Physical Therapy Association; Hawaii Injured Workers Association; Work Injury Medical Association of Hawaii; Hawaii Medical Association; Kaiser Permanente Hawaii; InVision Imaging; Hawaii State Chiropractic Association; and two concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Human Resources, City and County of Honolulu; The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii; Hawaii Insurers Council; Property Casualty Insurers Association of America; Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.; Maui Electric Company, LTD.; and Hawaii Electric Light Company, Inc., opposed this measure.  The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Department of Human Resources Development, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Work Star, and Solera provided comments.  

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 152, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair