STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1414-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2678

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 Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 2678, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII STATE HEALTH INSURANCE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Hawaii State Health Insurance Assistance Program to expand the program by contracting with third—party service providers and staffing consultants and recruiting more volunteers.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Aging, AARP Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Family Caregiver Coalition, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, and five individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the federal Medicare program is essential to ensuring health care coverage for older adults and persons having disabilities in the State; however, the rules and procedures of Medicare are complex and difficult to navigate. Your Committee further finds that the Hawaii State Health Insurance Assistance Program, administered by the Department of Health Executive Office on Aging, is staffed by only two full-time federally-funded employees who train a team of over eighty dedicated volunteers to provide specialized assistance to the public free of charge. This assistance includes helping Medicare-eligible individuals and their families and caregivers, and soon-to-be retirees, through objective outreach, counseling, and training make informed health insurance decisions that optimize access to care and benefits. Your Committee also finds that appropriating funds to the Hawaii State Health Insurance Assistance Program will provide stability for and continuity of the program and expand access to important Medicare-related services statewide.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2678, S.D. 2, 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 Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair