STAND. COM. REP. NO. 959

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 417

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. 417, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

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 ambulance services and for statewide community paramedicine services rendered by emergency medical technicians or paramedics.

This measure also requires and appropriates funds for the state Medicaid program to provide ambulance services and authorizes the program to provide coverage for statewide community paramedicine services rendered by emergency medical technicians or paramedics.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, American Medical Response, and Kaiser Permanente.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Attorney General and Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Insurance Division.

Your Committee finds that coverage of services provided by emergency medical technicians or paramedics will ensure patient access to quality health care.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding a new section to the measure to require group accident and health or sickness insurance policies to also provide coverage for ambulance services and statewide services rendered by emergency medical technicians or paramedics;

(2) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount; and

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

Your Committee notes that the state Medicaid program needs an appropriation of $1,000,000 for each year of fiscal biennium 2019-2021 in order to provide the coverage for ambulance services required under this measure.

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. 417, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 417, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair