Bill Text: HI SB794 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Health Insurance; Children; Weight Management and Obesity Prevention, Evaluation, and Guidance Services

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2009-05-11 - Carried over to 2010 Regular Session. [SB794 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-SB794-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 585

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 794

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 794 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require health insurance providers to include in their policies coverage for weight management and obesity prevention, evaluation, and guidance services for children covered under the policy.

 

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Kapi‘olani Medical Center, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Waikiki Health Center, the Hawaii Association for Health, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Cancer Society, and the Hawaii Dietetic Association.  Testimony was received by the American Heart Association and the American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus in support this measure with amendments.  Kaiser Permanente and Hilopa‘a submitted testimony in support of the intent of this measure.

 

Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Human Services, Hawaii Medical Service Association, and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii.  Comments on this measure were submitted by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

 

     Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committees find that childhood obesity is a chronic disease which has been associated with the increasing incidence of type II diabetes, metabolic diseases, and poor self-esteem.  This measure is intended to enhance the pediatric health care providers' ability to intervene in this chronic disease and begin the process of avoiding greater medical consequences as adults.

 

     Your Committees further find that this measure mandates health insurance coverage which requires an Auditor's impact assessment report pursuant to section 23-51, Hawaii Revised Statutes.  Your Committees find that further study would be constructive to ensure the success of the mandate.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Excluding accident-only, specified disease, hospital indemnity, medicare supplement, long-term care, or other limited benefit health insurance policies from the mandate; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 794, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 794, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection,

 

____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair		____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair