STAND. COM. REP. NO.  977

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   S.B. No. 1453

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1453, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to improve the delivery of health care and assist patients in receiving their medications in a timely manner by:

     (1)  Authorizing the Healthcare Association of Hawaii to convene a working group to discuss potential improvements to the current prior authorization process for prescription medications, which requires that physicians obtain approval from a health insurance carrier to prescribe a specific medication for their patients; and

     (2)  Requiring the working group to submit a report to the Legislature of its findings and recommendations, including any implementing legislation, on improving the prior authorization process for prescription medications.

     AlohaCare, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, the Neuropathy Action Foundation, The Alliance for Plasma Therapies, and Faith Action for Community Equity supported this bill.  The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Department of Human Services, and University of Hawaii System offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the working group's cease-to-exist date to December 31, 2012; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1453, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1453, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair