STAND. COM. REP. NO.  237-14

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2355

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2355 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IN VITRO FERTILIZATION INSURANCE COVERAGE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to support women facing infertility issues by, among other things:

 

     (1)  Amending the standards that set infertility treatment eligibility; and

 

     (2)  Expanding infertility treatment coverage.

 

     The Hawaii Health Systems Corporation and several individuals testified in support of this measure.  Kaiser Permanente Hawaii testified in support of the intent of this measure.  The Hawaii Catholic Conference and Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii testified in opposition of this measure.  The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Hawaii Medical Service Association provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

Should this measure proceed further in the legislative process, your Committee respectfully requests that the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce and the House Committee on Finance examine insurance policy coverage for infertility treatment and how insurers determine what benefits are covered and what are not.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2355, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2355, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair