STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1484

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 615

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 615, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HEALTHY AGING PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to improve the health and well-being of Hawaii's kupuna by appropriating funds to the Executive Office on Aging for the Healthy Aging Partnership Program.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Aging; Elderly Affairs Division of the City and County of Honolulu; County of Kauai, Agency on Elderly Affairs; AARP Hawaii; Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition; YMCA of Honolulu; Hawaii Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association; and fifty-two individuals.

     Your Committees find that the Healthy Aging Partnership Program aims to improve the health of older adults and empower them to stay healthy, active, and socially engaged.  The program serves as an important link between clinical support for patients and community resources for lifestyle change.  Your Committees further find that the program operates two evidence-based intervention programs that have demonstrated that older adults with chronic conditions and their caretakers benefit by focusing on self-management as an integral method to avoiding long term complications from chronic conditions.  One program is estimated to save participants an average of $500 per year in healthcare costs, and supports medical treatment plans by teaching participants the skills to manage their health conditions and interact with healthcare providers.  The second program is an ongoing exercise program that is estimated to cut participants' yearly healthcare costs almost in half.

     Your Committees also find that the Healthy Aging Partnership Program is a worthwhile investment for the State, as preventing disease and disability is far less expensive than resulting health and social services for persons needing treatment.  Nationwide, chronic diseases account for eighty-six percent of healthcare costs, and Hawaii spends an estimated $470,000,000 annually just on obesity-related medical costs.  Your Committees note testimony by the Executive Office on Aging that there is no funding to sustain the Healthy Aging Partnership Program beginning in fiscal year 2017-2018 and, without additional funding, the program will no longer be able to offer the existing programs to Hawaii's seniors.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2095, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 615, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 615, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Ways and Means,

________________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair