STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2997

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2084

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2084, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE FEDERAL DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE HOSPITAL FUNDS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate state matching funds to secure a federal disproportionate share hospital appropriation of $15,000,000.

 

     The measure also authorizes the State to use a portion of the funds to obtain the disproportionate share hospital allowance for fiscal year 2009-2010.

 

Written comments presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee finds that a federal medicaid disproportionate share hospital appropriation of $15,000,000 has been secured for Hawaii.  However, these funds cannot be expended without a matching state appropriation.  In 2009, the Legislature overrode the Governor's veto of a bill that appropriated the State matching funds.  To date, the Governor has not released the state funds, although federal funds remain available.  Your Committee finds that the state matching fund appropriation under this measure is necessary to receive the federal allowance to continue providing state medicaid coverage in the next fiscal year.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2084, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair