STAND. COM. REP. NO.534

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 683

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 683 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DIABETES EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require diabetes education be provided by a certified diabetes educator or an American Diabetes Association recognized educator for diabetes insurance coverage.

The Hawaii Association of Diabetes Educators and three individuals submitted testimony supporting this measure. The American Association of Diabetes Educators and the Senator from the 18th District presented oral testimony in support of this measure. American Healthways, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, and HMSA submitted testimony opposing this measure.

Your Committee finds that diabetes is a terribly serious disease that affects many people in Hawaii, and is often life threatening. A person with diabetes needs to learn how to manage both the day-to-day and long term consequences of their disease. Education should be provided by a knowledgeable and certified instructor to help a patient better understand the complexities of diabetes and to learn how to manage the complicated treatment plan, equipment, and supplies such as blood glucose meters and test strips. Proper understanding is critical to living with diabetes.

Your Committee notes that there is limited access to appropriate certified diabetes education particularly on the neighbor islands. However, there are other programs with national certification and recognition that provide appropriate diabetes education using teams of professionals, to which your Committee does not intend to preclude access.

Your Committee has amended this measure by rewording the provision for diabetes education as provided by a "program recognized by the American Diabetes Association or the National Committee for Quality Assurance" in addition to a certified diabetes educator. The reason for this amendment is that the American Diabetes Association has created a recognition system for programs rather than individuals.

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 S.B. No. 683, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 683, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair