STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1594

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1044

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1044, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to provide equal access to immunosuppressant medication for Medicaid patients with HIV, AIDS, or Hepatitis C, or who require immunosuppressives due to organ transplants, regardless of whether they are in the QUEST or Medicaid Fee-For-Service programs.

     Specifically, this measure repeals the inapplicability to QUEST medical plans of the exemption from preauthorization procedures in treating such patients until July 1, 2013.  The measure also requires the Department of Human Services to report to the legislature prior to the convening of the 2010, 2011, and 2012 regular sessions on the costs incurred by compliance with this measure.

     Your Committee received comments in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Association of Health Plans.  The Department of Human Services offered comments.

     Your Committee has made a technical amendment for the purpose of clarity by specifying that, upon the repeal of the measure on July 1, 2013, section 346‑352, Hawaii Revised Statutes, shall be reenacted in the form in which it read on December 31, 2007.

     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. 1044, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1044, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair