STAND. COM. REP. NO. 952

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1027

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1027, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEARING AIDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require health insurers and like entities to provide coverage for hearing aids.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Disability and Communication Access Board, Maui County Office on Aging, AARP, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and two individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Insurance Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Department of the Attorney General, Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund, Kaiser Permanente, and Hawaii Medical Service Association.

Your Committee finds that some private health insurance plans provide partial coverage for hearing aids and that increased insurance coverage will provide a wider variety of hearing aids to individuals with hearing difficulties.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting references to an employer option with regard to the required coverages under this measure;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1027, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1027, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair