CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 227-22

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2022

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2624

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 2

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

 

Sirs:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2624, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

 

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to establish a telehealth pilot project and a rural health care pilot project.

 

     Your Committee on Conference finds that many Hawaii residents are unable to obtain timely and appropriate health care and behavioral health care due to shortages of primary, specialty, and behavioral care providers.  This is particularly true for elderly or rural residents who experience even greater barriers to provider access, such as fixed or limited financial resources, lack of physical mobility or other disabilities, cognitive impairment, or transportation challenges.  Your Committee on Conference finds that multiple strategies are needed to address these problems.  One method is greater telehealth adoption.  Another avenue is to provide a financial incentive to health care providers to service rural areas.  This measure establishes and appropriates funds for a telehealth pilot project and a rural health care pilot project, and requires the Department of Health to submit an evaluation of both pilot projects to the Legislature.  

 

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Inserting an appropriation amount of $100,000 for the telehealth pilot project;

 

     (2)  Inserting an appropriation amount of $100,000 for the rural health care pilot project; and

 

     (3)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2022.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2624, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2624, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE

Co-Chair

 

____________________________

JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE

Chair

____________________________

LISA KITAGAWA

Co-Chair

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER

Co-Chair

____________________________

ADRIAN K. TAM

Co-Chair

 

____________________________

DRU KANUHA

Co-Chair