STAND. COM. REP. NO. 157-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1406

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 1406 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IMPROVING ACCESS TO PSYCHIATRIC CARE FOR MEDICAID PATIENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to specify that coverage for telehealth under the State's Medicaid managed care and fee-for-service programs includes psychiatric services delivered via telehealth through a behavioral health care manager who is present in a primary health care provider's office.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, AlohaCare, Hawaii Primary Care Association, AARP Hawai‘i, and thirteen individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and The Queen's Health Systems.

Your Committee finds that the psychiatric collaborative care model is effective and efficient in delivering integrated care and is ideal for states with community populations that are remote from urban centers as the model does not require the physical presence of a psychiatrist when psychiatric services can be delivered remotely. Your Committee further finds that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released a Medicare Physician Fee Schedule that allows primary care physicians to be reimbursed for services that psychiatrists provide in the collaborative care model. Other payers including State Medicaid authorities and managed care plans, may opt to also reimburse for these services. This measure ensures the State's Medicaid population will receive needed psychiatric services by requiring the State's Medicaid managed care and fee-for-service programs to include coverage of psychiatric services delivered via telehealth under a collaborative care model.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; 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 Health, Human Services, & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1406, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1406, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair