STAND. COM. REP. NO. 293

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 585

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 585 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO REMOTE DISPENSING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to expand the ability of individuals in remote areas of the State to gain access to prescription medications, including controlled substances and individuals with health insurance, through the use of remote dispensing pharmacies.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services and Hawaii Medical Service Association.  Kaiser Permanente submitted testimony in support of the measure with amendments.  Walgreens submitted testimony in support of the intent of the measure.  Comments on the measure were received from the Department of Public Safety and the Board of Pharmacy.

 

     Copies of written testimony are available for review on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee finds that certain areas of the State have limited or no access to prescription medications.  This measure will improve patient compliance with drug therapies by authorizing the use of remote dispensing pharmacies for individuals with health insurance who prescriptions filled for controlled substances, and individuals living in remote areas and areas without a pharmacy.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by adopting the recommendations of the Department of Public Safety and Kaiser Permanente by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that a remote dispensing pharmacy may provide medications to patients with health insurance coverage who reside on an island without a pharmacy or in remote areas where there are no pharmacies within a five mile radius of an existing pharmacy;

 

     (2)  Clarifying that a remote dispensing pharmacy may continue to operate in the same location if a pharmacy is subsequently established on the same island as the remote dispensing pharmacy or in the remote area that is not within a five mile radius of an existing pharmacy; provided that the remote dispensing pharmacy shall no longer be authorized to dispense controlled substances;

 

     (3)  Authorizing remote dispensing pharmacies located at facilities operated by a health maintenance organization regulated pursuant to chapter 432D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to operate and provide medications to patients with health insurance coverage who are served; and

 

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

 

     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. 585, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 585, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair