Hawaii Legislature Passes Two Insurance-Related Bills in 2022 Session

    The 2022 Hawaii legislative session has adjourned with two insurance-related bills passed and and now pending before the governor. The new legislation amends existing statutes that are not within the everyday parlance of coverage lawyers. The bills are as follows:

    HB1980 – The bill modifies Haw. Rev. Stat. 346-59.1 regarding coverage for telehealth. Medicaid, health insurers, mutual benefit societies and health maintenance organizations are permitted, but not required, to cover telephonic behavioral health services under certain circumstances. The legislation further clarifies that telephonic services do not constitute telehealth. 

    HB 2112 – This legislation would amend Haw. Rev. Stat. 431:4A-101, or the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ Credit for Reinsurance Model Law. The Act conforms to the requirements of the bilateral agreements on insurance and reinsurance between the United States and the European Union and the United Kingdom, and ensures the states’ regulatory authority remains intact and is not preempted by federal law.