Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 150 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure, as received, is to urge the departments of health, agriculture, and education to further encourage consumption of five or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables.

Your Committee heard a proposed Senate draft, and received testimony in support of the proposed draft from Hawaii Medical Service Association, Longs Drugs, and the Hawaii Pharmacists Association.

Your Committee finds that one in three Medicare recipients do not have drug coverage. Your Committee further finds that Hawaii's elderly population is growing rapidly and we need to ensure that seniors have access to drug coverage in the years to come.

Your Committee has amended this measure by replacing its entire contents with the proposed draft that would request the establishment of a working committee to develop a prescription drug access program for eligible Medicare beneficiaries in Hawaii. The proposed draft was amended by removing the State Health and Development Planning Agency and replacing it with a health plan.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 150, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 150, S.D. 1.