STAND. COM. REP. NO. 970-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2249

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2249, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAID BENEFITS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address the lack of access to dental coverage and oral health care needs in the State by appropriating funds to restore diagnostic, preventive, and restorative dental benefits to adult Medicaid enrollees; provided that the Department of Human Services obtains maximum federal matching funds available for this expenditure.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa; School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, University of Hawaii at Manoa; Hawaii Disability Rights Center; American Association of Retired Persons Hawaii; Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice; The Queen's Health Systems; Hawaii Dental Service; Hana Health; Save Medicaid Hawaii; Hawaii Public Health Institute; Ohana Health Plan; Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks!; Hawaii Oral Health Coalition; Kau Rural Health Community Association, Inc.; Patients Without Time; Hui No Ke Ola Pono; Hoola Lahui Hawaii; AlohaCare; Catholic Charities Hawaii; Hawaii State Rural Health; and eight individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Pono Hawaii Initiative, Hawaii Primary Care Association, and one individual.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2249, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2249, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair