Bill Text: HI SB941 | 2012 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Palliative Care; Health Insurance Required Coverage

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-12-01 - Carried over to 2012 Regular Session. [SB941 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-SB941-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 351

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 941

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 941 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PALLIATIVE CARE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require policies of accident and health or sickness insurance to provide coverage for palliative care in order to ensure that individuals who are diagnosed with a chronic or serious disease are provided with adequate levels of care. 

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaii Catholic Conference, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and Hawaii Family Forum.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii, and one private citizen.

 

     Your Committee finds that the ultimate goal of the State should be to provide universal palliative care for residents of Hawaii.  Your Committee further finds that, although there is a need to define the term "palliative care", loosely defining the term will allow doctors adequate latitude to provide the levels of care they determine necessary to support their patients, which ultimately will provide more flexible palliative care. 

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 941 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

 

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

 

____________________________ JOSH GREEN, M.D., Chair