STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1272-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 1294

S.D. 2

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 S.B. No. 1294, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to restore basic diagnostic, preventive, and restorative dental benefits for adult Medicaid enrollees.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Executive Office on Aging, Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, AARP Hawai‘i, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Oral Health Progress and Equity Network, Health Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, PHOCUSED Project of the Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, Hawai‘i Children's Action Network Speaks!, Ho‘ōla Lāhui Hawai‘i, Hawaii Primary Care Association, UnitedHealthcare, Hawaii Association of Health Plans, Hawai‘i Section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Americans for Democratic Action Hawai‘i, Kaiser Permanente Hawai‘i, Hawaii Dental Service, Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association, AlohaCare, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, Papa Ola Lōkahi, Hawaii Dental Association, ‘Ohana Health Plan, Waimānalo Health Center, The Queen's Health Systems, Parents And Children Together, Hawai‘i Oral Health Coalition, Hawaii Medical Association, Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that oral health disease is a significant health problem for many Hawaii residents, as multiple policy and system issues in the State have left the oral health of Hawaii's families and children worse than the rest of the nation. Your Committee further finds that since preventive and restorative dental care services for adult Medicaid enrollees were terminated in 2009, a disproportionate number of adult Medicaid enrollees now use the emergency room for emergency dental services. This measure will improve the overall health of the State's Medicaid recipients by restoring basic diagnostic, preventive, and restorative dental benefits to adult Medicaid enrollees.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment 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 S.B. No. 1294, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1294, S.D. 2, 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