STAND. COM. REP. NO. 290

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 320
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 320
entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is make health insurance
coverage for mental illness no less extensive than that for other
medical illnesses. 

     Your Committee received testimony in support from the Hawaii
Government Employees Association, the Hawaii Medical Association,
the Mental Health Association in Hawaii, the Hawaii Psychiatric
Association, the Hawaii Psychological Association, the Hawaii
State Alliance for the Mentally Ill, the Equal Insurance
Coalition, and Dr. Jeffrey Akaka, Chair of the Hawaii State
Medical Advisory Board.

     The Insurance Division of the Department of Commerce and
Consumer Affairs deferred to the Department of Health on the
merits of the bill and to the health insurers on the potential
costs.

     The Hawaii Medical Service Association testified in
opposition. 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 290
                                 Page 2

 
320 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to
the Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   ALEXANDER C. SANTIAGO, Chair