HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	66
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH TO ESTABLISH A TELEHEALTH AND TELEPHONIC SERVICES WORKING GROUP TO ADDRESS the COMPLEXITIES SURROUNDING THE APPROPRIATE USE OF TELEHEALTH AND TELEPHONIC SERVICES, BY SPECIALTY CARE AREA, AND COVERAGE OF THESE SERVICES BY HEALTH INSURANCE.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, health care providers in Hawaii increasingly rely on real-time audio and visual telehealth visits and other modalities of care delivery to increase access to health care in the State; and

 

     WHEREAS, the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic placed severe restrictions on in-person gatherings and meetings, thereby increasing the need for remote modalities of health care delivery; and

 

     WHEREAS, telehealth is a valuable method of health care delivery that requires further discussion and evaluation to determine whether its use can ensure quality health outcomes for patients, by specialty care area, and the appropriate health insurance coverage levels for these services; and

 

     WHEREAS, there is an additional need to remedy digital health disparities for individuals who lack access to the audio-visual technology needed for telehealth visits; and

 

     WHEREAS, other remote care modalities, such as audio-only telephonic services, are a valuable method of health care delivery; and

 

     WHEREAS, audio-only telephonic services are not currently considered telehealth services; and

 

     WHEREAS, there is a need for further discussion and evaluation to determine whether audio-only telephonic services can ensure quality health outcomes for patients, by specialty care area, and the appropriate health insurance coverage levels for these services; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, the Senate concurring, that the Director of Health is requested to establish a telehealth and telephonic services working group to address the complexities surrounding the appropriate use of telehealth and telephonic services, by specialty care area, and coverage of these services by health insurance; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group is requested to include:

 

     (1)  A representative of the House of Representatives, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representative;

 

     (2)  A representative from the Senate, to be appointed by the President of the Senate;

 

     (3)  The Director of Health, or the Director's designee;

 

     (4)  The Administrator of the Med-QUEST Division of the Department of Human Services, or the Administrator's designee;

 

     (5)  The Insurance Commissioner, or the Insurance Commissioner's designee; and

 

     (6)  A representative from the Professional and Vocational Licensing Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, to be appointed by the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Health is requested to serve as chairperson of the working group; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the chairperson is requested to invite representatives from the following organizations to participate in the working group:

 

     (1)  Two representatives from health care systems operating in the State;

 

     (2)  Two representatives from health insurers, mutual benefit societies, or health maintenance organizations operating in the State;

 

     (3)  One representative from the Hawaii Medical Association; and

 

     (4)  One representative from the Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group is requested to consider:

 

     (1)  All available peer-reviewed research, studies, and models for telehealth, audio-only telephonic services, and other modalities of remote care and whether use of these remote care services can ensure quality health care patient outcomes, by specialty care area;

 

     (2)  Guidelines and requirements from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Hawaii Med-QUEST for telehealth, audio-only telephonic services, and other modalities of remote care, by specialty care area; and

 

     (3)  Appropriate health insurance coverage levels for telehealth and audio-only telephonic services, by specialty care area; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2023; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health, Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Director of Human Services, and Insurance Commissioner.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

DCCA; DHS; DOH; Telehealth; Telephonic Services; Working Group