THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	129
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT AN IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT ON LEGISLATION MANDATING CERTAIN HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR OUTPATIENT PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.

     WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that it is the goal of all people in Hawaii to have access to health care in all its facets, including affordable access to prescription drugs; and

     WHEREAS, the public relies heavily on health insurance policies to provide adequate medical care; and

     WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that current health insurance policies do not require insurers to cover outpatient prescription drugs, nor do they impose coverage requirements on insurers that do provide outpatient prescription drug coverage; and

     WHEREAS, S.B. No.      , introduced during the Regular Session of 2012, seeks to mandate that certain individual and group accident and health or sickness policies, contracts, plans, or agreements issued or renewed in this State after December 31, 2012, cover outpatient prescription drugs and that they shall not require coinsurance as a basis for cost sharing with enrollees for outpatient prescription drug benefits; and

     WHEREAS, S.B. No.      (2012) also seeks to impose limitations on the amount of copayments insureds must pay for prescription drugs; and

     WHEREAS, section 23-51, Hawaii Revised Statutes, requires that "[b]efore any legislative measure that mandates health insurance coverage for specific health services, specific diseases, or certain providers of health care services as part of individual or group health insurance policies, can be considered, there shall be concurrent resolutions passed requesting the auditor to prepare and submit to the legislature a report that assesses both the social and financial effects of the proposed mandated coverage"; and

     WHEREAS, section 23-51, Hawaii Revised Statutes, further provides that "[t]he concurrent resolutions shall designate a specific legislative bill that:

     (1)  Has been introduced in the legislature; and

     (2)  Includes, at minimum, information identifying the:

          (A)  Specific health service, disease, or provider that would be covered;

          (B)  Extent of the coverage;

          (C)  Target groups that would be covered;

          (D)  Limits on utilization, if any; and

          (E)  Standards of care.

For purposes of this part, mandated health insurance coverage shall not include mandated optionals"; and

     WHEREAS, section 23-52, Hawaii Revised Statutes, further specifies the minimum information required for assessing the social and financial impact of the proposed health coverage mandate in the Auditor's report; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2012, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Auditor is requested to conduct an impact assessment report, pursuant to sections 23-51 and 23-52, Hawaii Revised Statutes, of the social and financial impacts of mandating certain health insurance coverage for outpatient prescription drugs, effective as of January 1, 2013, as provided in S.B. No.     (2012); and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor is requested to submit findings and recommendations to the Legislature, including any necessary implementing legislation, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2013; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Auditor and to the Insurance Commissioner, who, in turn, is requested to transmit copies to each insurer in the State that issues health insurance policies.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Prescription Drug Coverage; Copayment; Auditor