STAND. COM. REP. NO.1492
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2001
RE: S.C.R. No. 150
S.D. 1
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2001
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 150, S.D. 1, entitled:
"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A WORKING COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP A PRESCRIPTION DRUG ACCESS PROGRAM FOR ELIGIBLE MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES IN HAWAII,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to establish a working committee comprising representatives from various state and private agencies to develop a prescription drug access program for eligible Medicare beneficiaries in Hawaii.
The Hawaii Pharmacists Association and Longs Drug Store testified in support of this measure. The Hawaii Medical Service Association supported the intent of this measure. The Department of Health submitted comments.
Your Committees find that prescription drug prices are exponentially increasing, causing grave concern regarding the welfare of Hawaii's elderly population, which is also increasing rapidly. The elderly, most of whom live on fixed incomes and have minimal drug coverage, consume one-third of all prescription drugs. Your Committees believe that eligible Medicare beneficiaries should have access to affordable prescription drugs.
Your Committees have amended this measure by:
(1) Requesting the President of the United States and Congress to take action in addressing the problem of high prescription drug costs;
(2) Urging pharmaceutical companies doing business in Hawaii that have programs to assist in providing prescription drugs to the needy to develop a unified system that can be used by all companies to assist the needy who qualify for free medication;
(3) Amending its title to read: "REQUESTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MORE CONSUMER FRIENDLY UNIFIED SYSTEM FOR FREE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, ESTABLISHMENT OF A WORKING COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP A PRESCRIPTION DRUG ACCESS PROGRAM, AND URGING THE PRESIDENT AND UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF HIGH PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS"; and
(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity and style.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 150, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 150, S.D. 1, H.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Housing and Health,
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____________________________ DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair |
____________________________ MICHAEL P. KAHIKINA, Chair |
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