STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2785
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.B. No. 3003
S.D. 2
Honorable Robert Bunda
President of the Senate
Twenty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2006
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3003, S.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE PHARMACY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to enable more people to qualify for the state pharmacy assistance program.
Specifically, this measure increases allowable income and repeals the asset test for purposes of program eligibility. The Department of Human Services is required to provide enrollees with enrollment assistance identifying the medicare prescription drug plans that best meet the enrollee's needs. The measure also repeals rebate-contingent funding limitations. In addition, the measure clarifies the benefits of the state pharmacy assistance program by specifying individual benefits.
Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Changing the income eligibility from at or below one hundred fifty per cent of the federal poverty level to an unspecified percentage;
(2) Deleting the requirement for the Department of Human Services to provide outreach, counseling, and enrollment assistance;
(3) Requiring the Department to pay for prescription drugs that are not on the medicare prescription drug formulary; and
(4) Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
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 S.B. No. 3003, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3003, S.D. 2.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,
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____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair |
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