CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO.107-02

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 1950

S.D. 2

C.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1950, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this bill is to:

(1) Establish the Medicaid Prescription Drug Expansion Program (Program) to make prescription drugs more affordable to individuals whose income is at or below three hundred percent of the federal poverty level;

(2) Create the Medicaid Prescription Drug Rebate Special Fund (Special Fund) to accept rebates from pharmaceutical manufacturers to be used to expand Medicaid prescription drugs benefits;

(3) Appropriate $1,500,000 to the Special Fund to pay $1 for each prescription written for a qualified individual and to pay for administrative costs of the Program; and

(4) Require that the appropriated funds be reimbursed by the Program by the end of fiscal year 2004-2005 if sufficient manufacturers' rebates have been received to cover the appropriation amount.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this bill by:

(1) Clarifying that the Special Fund may accept legislative appropriations;

(2) Specifying that the Special Fund be used for the purposes of expanding Medicaid prescription drug benefits and administering the Program; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1950, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1950, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

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DAVID M. MATSUURA, Chair

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MICHAEL P. KAHIKINA, Co-Chair

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RON MENOR, Co-Chair

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BERTHA C. KAWAKAMI, Co-Chair

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BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair