STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1469-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.C.R. No. 94

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 94 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF INCREASING THE MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT PAYMENT RATE FOR HAWAII'S COMMUNITY CARE FOSTER FAMILY HOMES AND EXPANDED ADULT RESIDENTIAL CARE HOMES FOR MEDICAID CLIENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Human Services to study the feasibility of increasing the Medicaid reimbursement payment rate for Hawaii's Community Care Foster Family Homes and Expanded Adult Residential Care Homes for Medicaid clients.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Disability and Communication Access Board, the Adult Foster Homecare Association of Hawaii, ILWU – Local 1000, the presidents of six associations of community care foster family homes, and numerous individuals. The Department of Human Services provided comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure to:

1) Request the Department of Human Services provide an evaluation and report of the impacts of the implemented rate increases on uptake, utilization, and cost savings to the Medicaid program; and

2) Require implementation of rate studies every four years starting from the date of the last rate study, requiring said results be reported to the Legislature twenty days prior to the convening of the following legislative session.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 94, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 94, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

LISA MARTEN, Chair