STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1313

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.R. No. 59

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.R. No. 59 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO NOT CONSIDER CERTAIN BENEFITS UNDER TITLE II OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AS INCOME WHEN DETERMINING MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY AND TO ADOPT RULES TO ALLOW A PROVIDER OF MEDICAID ADULT DAY HEALTH SERVICES TO BILL IN FIFTEEN MINUTE INCREMENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Request the Department of Human Services and Department of Health to not consider, as income, the Social Security Act Title II benefit or any increase in that benefit if the benefit makes an individual ineligible for the state supplement to Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid benefits; and

     (2)  Request the Departments to adopt rules that allow a provider of Medicaid home- and community-based adult day health services to bill in fifteen minute increments.

The State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Arc in Hawaii, Easter Seals Hawaii, Lanakila Pacific, and several individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Human Services opposed this measure.   

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 59 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

____________________________

DEE MORIKAWA, Chair