STAND. COM. REP. NO.  504-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 2535

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2535 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATIONS IN MEDICAID,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make permanent, the psychotropic medications statute to ensure access to necessary medications while encouraging the use of generic anti-depressant and generic anti-anxiety medications.

The Department of Human Services, Department of Health, Public Policy Committee of the Hawaii Association of Health Plans, Ohana Health Plan, Aloha Care, and a concerned individual supported the measure.  The Hawaii Medical Service Association supported the measure with amendments.  The Hawaii Disability Rights Center and United Self Help offered comments on the measure.  

     Your Committees noted that the Hawaii Medical Service Association suggested an amendment to the psychotropic medication statute, section 346-59.9, Hawaii Revised Statutes, that repeals language that the department and its contracted health plans shall not require any individual who is stable on a brand name anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication on or before July 1, 2010, to transfer to a different generic or brand name medication unless the individual's condition becomes unstable and requires the medication to be replaced.  Your Committees also noted that the Department of Human Services testified that the measure could reduce Medicaid expenditures by approximately $500,000 annually.  Your Committees also respectfully requested that the stakeholders work together to develop future drafts for this measure.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to promote further discussion; and

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

     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. 2535, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2535, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Health,

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair

____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair