STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 1291
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2021
RE: H.C.R. No. 86
H.D. 1
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2021
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 86 entitled:
"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR, HAWAII EMPLOYER-UNION HEALTH BENEFITS TRUST FUND, AND MED-QUEST DIVISION TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE LEGISLATURE REGARDING THE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF RELYING ON A SINGLE PROVIDER TO FULFILL PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to request that the Auditor, Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund, and Med-QUEST Division of the Department of Human Services provide information to the Legislature regarding the costs and benefits of relying on a single provider to fulfill prescription medication.
Your Committee finds
that the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund (Trust Fund) recently
executed a contract that provides for only a single United States mainland-based
pharmacy provider to fulfill pharmacy benefits for Trust Fund members enrolled
in Preferred Provider Organization plans.
Your Committee further finds that this contract may have significant
adverse consequences, including forcing smaller community pharmacies to lose
business, increasing costs to Trust Fund members who live in areas that do not
have convenient access to the single provider.
Your
Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Inserting language clarifying the Trust Fund's contract for pharmacy benefits for its beneficiaries and the ability of Trust Fund beneficiaries to fill prescriptions across the State;
(2) Removing language discussing the impact of the Trust Fund's contract with a pharmacy benefit manager on smaller community pharmacies;
(3) Clarifying that the Trust Fund is urged to request pharmacy providers to provide certain information to the Trust Fund on medication dispensed to Trust Fund beneficiaries;
(4) Clarifying that the Med-QUEST Division of the Department of Human Services, rather than pharmacy providers, is urged to collect certain information on medication dispensed to Med-QUEST beneficiaries by pharmacy providers; and
(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 86, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 86, H.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness,
|
|
|
____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair |
|
|
|
|