STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1597-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.C.R. No. 16

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 16 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO ASSESS THE SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF REQUIRING HEALTH INSURERS TO PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR MEDICALLY NECESSARY PROTON BEAM THERAPY FOR CANCER TREATMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Auditor to assess the social and financial effects of requiring health insurers to provide coverage for medically necessary proton beam therapy for cancer treatment.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of the Auditor.

Your Committee finds that proton beam therapy is an advanced from of radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer that delivers radiation with greater precision, which reduces radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissues and potentially reduces treatment-related side effects. Your Committee further finds that House Bill No. 2145, Regular Session of 2026 (HB2145), proposes expanding existing health insurance mandates to cover medically necessary proton beam therapy for cancer treatment, which would be considered a new mandated health insurance benefit.

Your Committee further finds that, pursuant to sections 23-51 and 23-52, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the social and financial impacts of a proposed mandated health insurance benefit must be assessed by the Auditor before it can be enacted into law. This measure therefore requests the Auditor to conduct a statutorily required impact assessment report on the social and financial effects of the new mandated health insurance benefit proposed by HB2145.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 16 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair