Bill Text: HI SB978 | 2012 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Medicaid Eligibility Information Technology Infrastructure; MedQUEST; Health Reform; Appropriation

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-12-01 - Carried over to 2012 Regular Session. [SB978 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-SB978-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 227

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 978

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 978 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAID,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide funds to establish a new information technology system for determining Medicaid eligibility within the State, and to take advantage of the opportunity presented by the provision of federal funding for this purpose.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and Hawai‘i Primary Care Association.

 

     Your Committee finds that the federal Affordable Care Act requires significant modifications to government health care programs.  By January 1, 2014, states must establish a functional health insurance exchange.  States are required to use the information from applications submitted through the exchange to determine eligibility for Medicaid.  Your Committee also finds that Hawaii's current twenty-three year old information technology system for determining Medicaid eligibility is not capable of performing the functions required by the Affordable Care Act.

 

     Your Committee further finds that numerous states are facing issues presented by antiquated Medicaid-related information technology systems.  Fortunately, the United States Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is expected to make available ninety percent federal matching funds for specific types of eligibility system upgrades.  Your Committee additionally finds that providing sufficient funding to the Department of Human Services will enable the State to comply with the Affordable Care Act requirements regarding eligibility screening.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 978, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 978, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

 

		____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair