Bill > HCR33

This Concurrent Resolution requests the Auditor, Hawaii's state government watchdog, to conduct a comprehensive social and financial assessment of a proposed law, Senate Bill No. 827, S.D. 2, which would mandate health insurance coverage for earlier access to breast cancer screenings. The assessment is required by state law (Hawaii Revised Statutes sections 23-51 and 23-52) before any new health insurance mandates can be considered, and it must examine the potential impacts of expanding coverage to include baseline mammograms for women aged 35-39, annual mammograms for those aged 30-50 deemed at higher risk, and medically necessary supplemental imaging. The Auditor must also consider the effect of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), also known as Obamacare, on the costs of these expanded benefits, identify the number and types of health plans available in Hawaii, and estimate the financial burden on the state. The findings and recommendations are to be submitted to the Legislature before the 2023 legislative session.