STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1465

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.C.R. No. 81

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing and Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 81 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO ASSESS THE SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF REQUIRING HEALTH INSURERS TO OFFER COVERAGE FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL SCREENING AND COUNSELING IN EMERGENCY ROOMS OR AS PART OF PRIMARY CARE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request a "sunrise" analysis of a bill proposing to require health insurers to include coverage for substance abuse screening and counseling in emergency rooms and as part of routine primary care under all health insurance policies issued or renewed after December 31, 2005.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from NAMI Oahu, Mililani Town Anti-Drug Committee, and an individual. The Hawaii Medical Service Association presented comments on the measure.

Your Committees find that substance abuse testing in the emergency room is a "best practice" recommended by the National Institute for Substance Abuse. The goal of such testing is to refer persons identified with a substance abuse problem for treatment in the hopes of preventing the development of a more serious and long-term problem. To facilitate these procedures, S.B. No. 1443 (2005) establishes as a mandatory covered health insurance benefit screening and counseling for substance abuse in emergency rooms and as part of routine primary care under health insurance policies issued or renewed after December 31, 2005.

Section 23-51, Hawaii Revised Statutes, requires the Auditor to assess the social and financial effects of mandating coverage for a specific health service, specific disease, or treatment rendered by a certain health care provider, before the Legislature may enact a bill effecting the mandate. This measure authorizes the required "sunrise" analysis.

Your Committees have amended this measure:

(1) By inserting references to S.B. No. 1443 (2005), a bill that proposes mandatory health insurance coverage for substance abuse screening;

(2) To narrow the scope of the requested analysis by excluding substance abuse counseling and treatment provided as part of routine primary care as components of the proposed mandatory coverage;

(3) By changing the title of this measure to reflect the revised scope of the analysis; and

(4) By making technical amendments for the purposes of style, clarity, and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 81, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 81, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

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RON MENOR, Chair