STAND. COM. REP. NO.3346

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: S.R. No. 45

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.R. No. 45 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO ASSESS THE SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF REQUIRING HEALTH INSURERS TO OFFER COVERAGE FOR BIOLOGICALLY BASED PSYCHIATRIC AND ADDICTION DISORDERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the auditor to conduct an impact assessment report of the social and financial impacts of mandating coverage for biologically based psychiatric and addiction disorders for all policies and contracts, hospital and medical service plan contracts, medical service corporation contracts, and heath maintenance organization plans and contracts issued after December 31, 2002.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Hawaii Medical Association, Hawai`i Nurses Association, Hawaii Psychological Association, HGEA-AFSCME Local 142, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that at least thirty-one states, including Hawaii, have some form of mental health parity. Hawaii statutes, however, limit parity to persons with "serious mental illness", and this measure would assess the impact of expanding mental illnesses covered – as is the case in eight of those states.

Your Committee has amended this measure to:

(1) Reference the correct Senate bill number requesting the mandated health coverage;

(2) Broaden the range of disorders to be covered in the assessment to those disorders as listed in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, and amend the title;

(3) Request the Auditor to submit findings and recommendations to the Senate twenty days prior to the convening of the 2003 regular session.

Your Committee notes that S.B. No. 2095, which is cited in the measure, refers only to biologically based psychiatric and addiction disorders. However, studying all mental disorders would not add significantly to the assessment, and would provide vital additional information.

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 45, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 45, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

RON MENOR, Chair