Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 30, H.D. 1, entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Director of Human Services to use the federal supply schedule as a benchmark in negotiating and purchasing brand name prescription drugs for the State's prescription drug programs.

Your Committees received testimony in support of the measure from the Department of Human Services, the Hawaii Disability Rights Center, the Hepatitis Prevention, Education, Treatment & Support Network of Hawaii, and two individuals. The Hawaii Association of Health Plans submitted testimony in opposition. Your Committees received comments on the measure from HMSA.

Your Committees find that providing timely medical care, including appropriate medications, to individuals who suffer from Hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or patients who require immunosuppressives as a result of organ transplants, is necessary to reduce the human and economic costs associated with untreated medical conditions. Your Committees further find that this measure will provide equal access by Medicaid patients to the limited number of medications available to treat these conditions, regardless of whether they are enrolled in the fee for service or QUEST program.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by replacing its contents with the contents of S.B. No. 2325, which deletes the QUEST exemption from the preauthorization exemption for these conditions.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 30, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 30, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.