STAND. COM. REP. NO.  940

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 690

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 690, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to expand access to health insurance by requiring insurers to offer certain part-time employees the same group health care coverage offered to their coworkers who are regular employees, if a certain percentage of part-time employees agree to purchase the health care coverage, without the employer having to pay any portion of the premium.

     This bill also requires the Insurance Commissioner to report to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2011 on the costs and benefits of this measure.

     The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hawaii Association of Health Plans, Hawaii Medical Service Association, and Kaiser Permanente Hawaii offered comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 690, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair