Bill Text: HI HCR177 | 2012 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: LRB Study; Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Assessment; Autism Spectrum Disorders

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2012-04-26 - (S) Received notice of Adoption in House (Hse. Com. No. 680). [HCR177 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-HCR177-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3551

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.C.R. No. 177

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 177, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU TO CONDUCT A STUDY ON REQUIRING INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Legislative Reference Bureau to conduct a study relating to mandating insurance coverage for the treatment of autism spectrum disorders.

 

     Specifically, this measure requests the Legislative Reference Bureau to:

 

     (1)  Assess the impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on the proposal in Senate Bill No. 2631, S.D. 2, Regular Session of 2012, to require insurance coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders by accident and health or sickness insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations;

 

     (2)  Assess the impact such an autism spectrum disorder coverage mandate would have on programs financed by the State, including but not limited to the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund and QUEST programs;

 

     (3)  Analyze the cost of providing insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorders in Hawaii, based on actual cost effects experienced in other states that require such coverage, to the extent of available information;

 

     (4)  Report information on the recommended clinical guidelines made by organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the United States Surgeon General, the National Institute of Mental Health, or the National Research Council for the treatment of autism spectrum disorders; and

 

(5)  Provide information on the reported clinical effectiveness of treatments for autism spectrum disorders that are covered by insurance in states that mandate coverage for autism treatments.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Special Education Advisory Council, Kaiser Permanente, Autism Behavior Consulting Group, Inc., Autism Speaks, and three concerned individuals.

 

     Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Legislative Reference Bureau.

 

     Your Committees find that a mandate for insurers in Hawaii to provide coverage for treatment for autism spectrum disorders may have significant impacts on patients, insurers, and the State itself.  Your Committees believe that it is important to thoroughly evaluate the effects of such an insurance mandate, in light of the experiences in other states that mandate coverage for autism treatment.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Clarifying that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to provide information on autism treatments for which other states mandate coverage, the extent to which those treatments are required to be covered by insurance in those states, and the effectiveness of the mandate in identifying and treating patients in those states, to the extent of available information; and

 

(2)  Requesting the Administrator of the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund and the Administrator of the Department of Human Services MedQUEST Division to provide information and assistance to the Legislative Reference Bureau for the purposes of its study.

 

     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 concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 177, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 177, H.D. 2, S.D. 1.

 

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

 

____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair		____________________________ JOSH GREEN, M.D., Chair