Bill Text: HI SB1506 | 2011 | Regular Session | Amended

Hawaii Senate Bill 1506 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Health; Childhood Obesity Pilot Program

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2011-03-21 - (H) The committee(s) recommends that the measure be deferred. [SB1506 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2011-SB1506-Amended.html

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1506
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011		S.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII		H.D. 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that childhood obesity is a serious medical condition affecting the State's children and adolescents. Childhood obesity often leads to health problems that were once limited to adults such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Childhood obesity can also lead to poor self-esteem and depression. Combating childhood obesity is an intelligent step toward limiting future health-related costs as overweight children with health and possibly psychological issues who are not treated may grow into adults with chronic conditions.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a childhood obesity pilot program.

SECTION 2. There is established under the department of health for administrative purposes a two-year childhood obesity pilot program. The department shall work with Hawaii Primary Care Association to develop parameters and implementation guidelines for the childhood obesity pilot program. The department of health shall provide administrative support for the program.

As used throughout this Act, "childhood obesity" means the condition when a person under eighteen years of age has a body mass index in the ninety-fifth percentile or above for that person's age; provided that other factors such as whether the person has a larger than average body frame or is more muscular than average shall be considered by the physician diagnosing the condition.

SECTION 3. (a) The department of health shall select twenty health care providers to participate in the childhood obesity pilot program. These provider participants shall include no less than one of each of the following health care providers:

(1) A solo medical practitioner;

(2) A medical practitioner who practices in a group health care setting;

(3) A pediatrician;

(4) A registered dietitian;

(5) A doctor of internal medicine;

(6) A psychiatrist;

(7) A psychologist; and

(8) A registered nurse.

(b) All individual and group hospital and medical service corporation insurers that provide coverage for an insured whose dependent child visits a provider participant of the childhood obesity pilot program shall provide coverage for the treatment of childhood obesity under and for the duration of the childhood obesity pilot program for the insured or dependents of the insured in this State.

(c) Each policy of accident and health or sickness insurance, other than life insurance, disability income insurance, and long-term care insurance, issued or renewed in this State, each employer group health policy, contract, plan, or agreement issued or renewed in this State, all policies providing family coverages as defined in section 431:10A-103, and all policies providing reciprocal beneficiary family coverage as defined in section 431:10A-601, shall contain a provision for coverage for the treatment of childhood obesity under and for the duration of the childhood obesity pilot program for its insureds or dependents of its insureds in this State.

(d) Every insurer, mutual benefit society, and fraternal benefit society shall provide notice to its insureds regarding the coverage required by this section. The notice shall be in writing and prominently placed in any literature or correspondence sent to the insureds and shall be transmitted to the insureds during the 2012 calendar year when annual information is made available to the insureds, or in any other mailing to the insureds, but in no case later than December 31, 2012.

SECTION 4. The childhood obesity pilot program provider participants shall submit a joint report detailing their analysis of the operational successes and challenges of the childhood obesity pilot program, along with any findings, recommendations, or proposed legislation to the department of health and the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2015 regular session.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2040.

Report Title:

Health; Childhood Obesity Pilot Program

Description:

Establishes the Childhood Obesity Pilot Program and requires insurers to cover childhood obesity as a billable provider visit for services rendered by participating health care providers. Requires the Department of Health to work with Hawaii Primary Care Association to develop parameters and implementation guidelines for the program. Requires the Childhood Obesity Pilot Program provider participants to submit a report to the Department of Health and the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2015 Regular Session. Effective July 1, 2040. (SB1506 HD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.