The Senate Committee on Labor
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
2:45 PM, Conference Room 229
RE: SB 2761, Relating to the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund Definition of “Dependent-Beneficiary”
Attention: Chair Jill Tokua, Vice Chair J. Kalani English and members of the Committee
The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA) urges the committee to support passage of SB 2761, that amends the definition of “Dependent-Beneficiary” under Section 87A of the Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, to clarify the eligibility of children in fund benefit plans, and to bring the definition of “dependent-beneficiary” in conformance with the federal Patient Protection Affordable Care Act of 2010.
The current ambiguity in the statute allows for dependent beneficiaries adopted or born after the fund eligible employee or retiree death to have access to fund benefits through the employeeʻs or retireeʻs surviving spouse, which we believe is not the intent, and outside of normal dependent-beneficiary eligibility practices.
This measure will also change the definition of “dependent-beneficiary” from “Unmarried Child” to “Child” and remove the requirement of the living with the employee beneficiary, which will conform the statute with the federal Patient Protection Affordable Care Act of 2010.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony on this measure. UHPA supports the passage of SB 2761.
Respectfully submitted,
Kristeen Hanselman
Executive Director
