STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1916

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 7

H.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 7, H.D. 2, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES MED-QUEST DIVISION, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, TO EXPAND THE TYPES OF QUALIFIED PROVIDERS ALLOWED TO PROVIDE LACTATION CONSULTANT SERVICES FOR THE MEDICAID POPULATION IN THE STATE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Human Services Med-QUEST Division, in collaboration with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, to expand the types of qualified providers allowed to provide lactation consultant services for the Medicaid population in the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Medical Service Association, Lactation Access Transforming Communities in Hawai‘i, Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice, Hawaii Affiliate of the American College of Nurse Midwives, Hawai‘i Public Health Institute, and five individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Department of Human Services, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that increasing access to maternal health care in the State is critical for ensuring the health and well-being of mothers and future generations. Your Committee further finds that a lactation consultant is a certified health professional who specializes in the clinical management of breastfeeding and is trained to assist mothers in preventing and solving breastfeeding difficulties. Hawaii's Med-QUEST Division, however, only reimburses for services administered by certain providers, and does not currently allow certain qualified providers to be reimbursed for the same, critical services, thus unnecessarily restricting access to care. This measure therefore increases access to lactation consultant services for breastfeeding mothers who are Medicaid beneficiaries by expanding the types of qualified providers allowed to provide services.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 7, H.D. 2, and recommends its adoption.

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

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JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair