STAND. COM. REP. NO. 416

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 730

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 730 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require that any provider that is awarded a contract to provide health and human services by a purchasing agency be a qualified Medicaid provider.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the State Procurement Office and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Department of Human Services, and Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that this measure is intended to increase the number of providers available to serve Medicaid beneficiaries.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have required any provider that is awarded a contract to provide health and human services by a purchasing agency to be a qualified Medicaid provider;

(2) Inserting language requiring purchasing agents to give a preference to an applicant that is a qualified Medicaid provider;

(3) Specifying that if two otherwise equally qualified applicants are seeking the same purchases of services contract, the purchasing agency shall select the applicant who is a qualified Medicaid provider;

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; and

(5) 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 Health, Human Services, & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 730, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 730, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness,

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair