Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1317, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to protect the health of beneficiaries receiving benefits from managed care plans under Medicaid by preventing the removal of prescription drug benefits by the Department of Human Services.

Specifically, this measure prohibits the Department of Human Services from taking any action or expending state resources to remove prescription drug benefits from managed care plans that provide health care coverage for Hawaii Medicaid beneficiaries.

Your Committee finds that the removal of prescription drugs by the Department of Human Services from Medicaid programs may disrupt the care of individuals in need of prescription drugs.

Your Committee has amended this measure by amending the effective date to July 1, 2050 for the purposes of stimulating further discussion on this issue.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1317, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1317, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.