STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3035

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2277

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2277, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOSPITAL PRICE TRANSPARENCY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require each hospital in the State to comply with federal hospital price transparency requirements;

(2) Require the Department of Health to monitor and enforce compliance;

(3) Establish a process for patients to challenge debt collection actions filed by noncompliant hospitals;

(4) Require the Department of Health to publish a list of any enforcement actions taken against noncompliant hospitals; and

(5) Require hospitals to provide patients with an easy‑to‑understand itemized bill statement before initiating a debt collection action against a patient.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the State Health Planning and Development Agency, Silver Plume Strategies, and Patient Rights Advocate.

Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Healthcare Association of Hawaii.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health and Office of Consumer Protection of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

Your Committees find that competition and market pricing exist in virtually every other sector of the nation's economy except health care. One of the ways to benefit families' and communities' access to health care is to create a more functional market, where patients, employers, and unions can advocate for themselves in a manner that combats increasing health care costs. By making the cost of a hospital item or service publicly available, this measure will increase affordability and transparency to support patients' rights.

Your Committees note that price transparency regarding medical and health care costs is a significant issue within the United States health care system, highlighted by global analyses when compared to the United State's international counterparts. Creating more competition through increased transparency will allow families to anticipate costs, compare options, and avoid preventable medical debt.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2277, S.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means,

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair