STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1547-14

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2057

      S.D. 2

      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 Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2057, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE NURSING FACILITY SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to extend and improve the Nursing Facility Sustainability Program, which uses provider fees as matching funds to qualify for increased federal Medicaid provider reimbursement rates.

 

Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Continues the Program for an additional year;

 

     (2)  Exempts the Nursing Facility Sustainability Program Special Fund from the central services expenses assessment; and

 

     (3)  Appropriates funds from the Special Fund as necessary matching funds for increased federal Medicaid funding for fiscal year 2014-2015.

 

     The Department of Human Services, Victim/Witness Program of the County of Kauai, Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and Hawaii Primary Care Association provided testimony in support of this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting the Nursing Facility Sustainability Program Special Fund from the statutory exemption from central services fees assessed under section 36-27, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

 

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

 

     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 S.B. No. 2057, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2057, S.D. 2, H.D. 1.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair