168
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.C.R. NO.            
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO STUDY THE SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL IMPACTS
   OF ENACTING A PARITY LAW THAT MANDATES EQUAL INSURANCE
   COVERAGE FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT AS IN ALL OTHER
   MEDICAL ILLNESSES.



 1        WHEREAS, substance abuse is a widespread disease that is
 2   often misunderstood by others; and
 3   
 4        WHEREAS, substance abuse can be effectively treated by
 5   health care professionals who are trained in this field; and
 6   
 7        WHEREAS, recent research shows that various forms of
 8   substance abuse are caused by biological factors rather than
 9   environmental factors; and
10   
11        WHEREAS, consideration should be given to cover the
12   treatment of substance abuse by health care insurance plans to
13   the same extent that these plans cover treatment for physical
14   illness; and
15   
16        WHEREAS, substance abuse treatment benefits should be
17   determined by medical necessity and standardized criteria for
18   patient placement, admission, discharge, and continuing care
19   that best reflect practices for substance abuse treatment; and
20   
21        WHEREAS, cost control will be achieved as insurers
22   exercise oversight of the utilization of services and the
23   authorization of payment for treatment; and
24   
25        WHEREAS, S.B. No. 2974, 2000, requires that all individual
26   and group accident and sickness insurance policies issued in
27   this State, individual or group hospital or medical service
28   plan contracts, and nonprofit mutual benefit association and
29   health maintenance organization health plan contracts provide
30   benefits for substance abuse services under the same terms and
31   conditions as coverage provided for other illnesses and
32   diseases; and

 
Page 2                                                     168
                                  H.C.R. NO.            
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1        WHEREAS, section 23-51, Hawaii Revised Statutes, requires
 2   that: 
 3   
 4             Before any legislative measure that mandates
 5             health insurance coverage for specific health
 6             services, specific diseases, or certain
 7             providers of health care services as part of
 8             individual or group health insurance policies,
 9             can be considered, there shall be concurrent
10             resolutions passed requesting the auditor to
11             prepare and submit to the legislature a report
12             that assesses both the social and financial
13             effects of the proposed mandated coverage.
14             The concurrent resolutions shall designate a
15             specific legislative bill that:
16   
17             (1)  Has been introduced in the legislature; and
18   
19             (2)  Includes,   at   a   minimum,   information
20                  identifying the:
21   
22                  (A)  Specific health  service,  disease, or
23                       provider that would be covered;
24   
25                  (B)  Extent of the coverage;
26   
27                  (C)  Target groups that would be covered;
28   
29                  (D)  Limits on utilization, if any; and
30   
31                  (E)  Standards of care";
32   
33   now, therefore,
34   
35        BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
36   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
37   of 2000, the Senate concurring, that the Auditor is requested
38   to study the social and financial impacts of enacting a parity
39   law that mandates equal insurance coverage for substance abuse
40   treatment as in all other medical illnesses in response to S.B.
41   No. 2974, 2000; and
42   
43        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that data collection and analysis
44   are requested to include the Hawaii Medical Service Association
45   and the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, and the 1998
46   report of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
47   Administration of the United States Department of Health and
48   Human Services, entitled, "The Costs and Effects of Parity for
49   Mental Health and Substance Abuse Insurance Benefits"; and

 
Page 3                                                     168
                                  H.C.R. NO.            
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that insurers are requested to
 2   separate data according to mental health and substance abuse
 3   utilization, and according to treatment utilization by adults,
 4   adolescents, and children; and
 5   
 6        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in conducting the study, the
 7   Auditor is requested to consult with the Department of Health,
 8   the Insurance Commissioner, and with all interested parties,
 9   including the Board of Medical Examiners, the Board of
10   Psychology, and representatives of insurance carriers,
11   nonprofit mutual benefit associations, health maintenance
12   organizations, public and private providers, consumers,
13   employers, and labor organizations, and state agencies
14   implementing policies under chapter 431M, Hawaii Revised
15   Statutes; and
16   
17        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor submit its
18   findings and recommendations based on its study to the
19   Legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of
20   the Regular Session of 2001.
21   
22        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
23   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Auditor, the
24   Directors of Health and Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and the
25   Insurance Commissioner.
26   
27 
28 
29 
30                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________