The Hawaii House Committee on Health & Homelessness convened on January 31, 2025, for a joint public hearing focused on proposed changes to the prior authorization process for health care services. The meeting aimed to address delays in the approval of urgent and non-urgent health care requests, a growing concern among health care professionals and patients alike.

The session began with a proposal to introduce a third purpose clause to the existing legislation, emphasizing the need to reduce delays in considering prior authorization requests. A new section was suggested, drawing from House Bill 954, which outlines specific time frames for the submission and approval of prior authorization requests.

Key points discussed included the requirement for health care professionals to submit prior authorization requests for non-urgent services at least five calendar days before the service is provided. If the utilization review entity does not approve or deny the request within 48 hours, the request will be automatically deemed approved. This provision aims to streamline the process and ensure timely access to necessary health care services.

For urgent health care services, the proposed changes stipulate that requests would be considered approved 24 hours after submission if no action is taken by the utilization review entity. Similar to the non-urgent process, additional time would be granted for the review entity to process any further information requested from health care providers.

The committee also discussed amendments suggested by Dr. Lewin Shipda, which included adding laboratory and diagnostic tests to the list of services requiring prior authorization. This change reflects a broader effort to ensure that all necessary services are covered under the new regulations.

The meeting concluded with a commitment to further refine the proposed legislation, with the aim of expediting the approval process for health care services in Hawaii. The committee plans to continue discussions and gather feedback from stakeholders to finalize the amendments before the next legislative session.