STAND. COM. REP. NO. 534-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2394

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. 2394, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAID PATIENT CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to provide one-time enhanced payments to any facility licensed by Medicare that provides skilled nursing or intermediate care to Medicaid patients.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, East Hawaii Region of the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, Palolo Chinese Home, The Villas, Garden Isle Rehab & Nursing, Legacy Hilo Rehab & Nursing, Hale Mauka Health Services, Pu‘uwai ‘O Makaha, Ann Pearl Rehab & Nursing, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawai‘i Pacific Health, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, Aloha Nursing Rehab Centre, Ohana Pacific Health, The Queen's Health Systems, Hale Kūpuna Heritage Home, and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that nursing facilities have lost roughly fifteen percent of their entire workforce during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and there has been no recovery of positions over the past two years. While physician offices and outpatient settings are experiencing an increase in employment, nursing homes are experiencing a loss of hundreds of thousands of positions. This measure is intended to assist licensed facilities that provide skilled nursing or intermediate care to Medicaid patients by providing a one-time enhanced payment to each facility, thereby ensuring quality services for the State.

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. 2394, H.D. 1, and recommends that it 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