STAND. COM. REP. NO.2773

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: S.B. No. 2290

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2290 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INDEPENDENT BILL REVIEWERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to exempt applicants for an independent bill reviewer's license holding certain credentials granted by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) from all licensing requirements except the payment of a fee.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the AHIMA, Health Information Management Association of Hawaii, and Automatic Data Processing Integrated Medical Solutions. Testimony of non-support was received from the Insurance Commissioner.

An independent bill reviewer acts for insurance companies as an independent contractor or as an employee of an independent contractor to review or audit medical service billings. A license is required for a person to be an independent bill reviewer.

This measure would allow applicants holding credentials granted by the AHIMA, for registered health information administrator, registered health information technician, clinical coding specialist, or clinical coding specialist-physician based to qualify for a license without taking the licensing examination. Currently, only applicants holding credentials of a certified professional coder granted by the American Academy of Professional Coders are allowed this alternative. Your Committee finds that the AHIMA is a national association representing over 40,000 nationally, and nearly 100 locally, specially educated health information management professionals who work throughout the healthcare industry. They manage, analyze, and utilize data, while maintaining patient confidentiality and information security. According to testimony of the AHIMA, its members are required to take an examination that is more difficult than that of the American Academy of Professional Coders.

Your Committee has amended this measure on the recommendation of the Insurance Commissioner to clarify the language describing the types of allowable credentials as granted by the AHIMA.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2290, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2290, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing,

____________________________

RON MENOR, Chair