STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2334

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2797

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2797 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make permanent the provisions of Act 205, Session Laws of Hawaii 2010, that required an individual insured under QUEST, QUEST Expanded Access, or a fee-for-service program administered by the Department of Human Services to make two unsuccessful attempts at treatment with generic psychotropic medications before the Department of Human Services may cover a brand-name medication for a new prescription.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Ohana Heath Plan and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that the number of individuals who require treatment for mental health issues is increasing and that prescription medications, including psychotropic drugs, have become increasingly expensive.  With the difficult economic climate, alternatives, including generic equivalents to name-brand medications, must be explored to implement cost-saving measures while preserving an appropriate level of care.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2050, to allow for further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     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. 2797, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2797, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

JOSH GREEN, M.D., Chair