Bill Text: HI HCR158 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Encourage Breastfeeding; Mothers Receiving Medicaid Assistance

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 15-0)

Status: (Passed) 2010-04-29 - (H) Resolution adopted in final form. [HCR158 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-HCR158-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3243

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.C.R. No. 158

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 158 entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE BREASTFEEDING AMONG MOTHERS WHO RECEIVE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FROM MEDICAID,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to urge the Department of Human Services (DHS), in consultation with the Department of Health (DOH), to develop a program to encourage breastfeeding among Medicaid recipients.

 

     Your Committees acknowledge that breastfeeding has well-established health benefits, but it has previously not been considered as a cost-savings strategy.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service estimates a minimum savings of $3,600,000,000 in medical expenses each year if the number of children breastfed for at least six months increased from 43 per cent to 50 per cent.  For every 1,000 babies who are not breastfed, there are 2,033 more medical office visits, 212 extra days of hospitalization, and 609 excess prescriptions.  By simply breastfeeding, these numbers would be reduced and the expenses associated with them would be lower, as well.

 

     Also, your Committees note that a staggering 41 per cent of births in the country are covered by Medicaid.  Encouraging breastfeeding among these infants may lead to a possible increase in state budget savings.  Statistics show that in 2006, young mothers under age twenty breastfed at a rate of 24 per cent while over 50 per cent of mothers over the age of thirty breastfed their children.  In this fiscally challenging environment, it would be wise to seek additional ways to reduce health care costs.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 158, and recommend its adoption.

 

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

 

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair		____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair