STAND. COM. REP. NO.145-02

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 1867

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1867 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR HEALTH CARE FOR THE UNINSURED,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to provide health care for the uninsured, particularly those suffering from the tragic events of September 11, 2001, by appropriating:

(1) $1,500,000, to be matched by federal funds on a 2:1 basis, to enable the Children's Health Insurance Program to expand eligibility to 300 percent of the poverty level guideline for Hawaii;

(2) $500,000, to be matched by federal funds on a 9:1 basis, to delink Medicaid and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF) so that health benefits lost under TANF from the expiration of the cumulative five-year lifetime cap on receipt of benefits can be continued under eligibility for the State's QUEST program; and

(3) $1,200,000 for community health centers in the State that provide health care services to the uninsured.

The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, the Kokua Council, Aloha Care, Papa Ola Lokahi, and a concerned citizen supported this bill. The Department of Human Services supported the intent of the bill. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs submitted comments.

Your Committees have amended this bill by deleting all of the appropriation amounts and replacing them with unspecified amounts to facilitate further discussion. Other technical, nonsubstantive amendments were made for style and clarity.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1867, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1867, 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 Housing and Health,

 

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair

____________________________

MICHAEL P. KAHIKINA, Chair