STAND. COM. REP. NO.  247

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 900

      H.D. 1

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.B. No. 900 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FRAUD,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to strengthen the State's ability to prosecute individuals who fraudulently obtain medical assistance benefits by:

     (1)  Clarifying that fraudulently applying for or renewing medical assistance benefits is a class C felony;

     (2)  Clarifying that an individual charged with the offense shall pay restitution equivalent to the amount of medical assistance benefits received; and

     (3)  Extending the statute of limitations for the offense of medical assistance fraud.

The Department of Human Services and Department of the Attorney General support this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 900, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 900, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

DEE MORIKAWA, Chair