STAND. COM. REP. NO. 760

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1453

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1453, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the prescription medication prior authorization working group to consider the issues related to prior authorization requirements for prescription medications.

 

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from Hawaii Medical Association; James D. Lee, Public Affairs Chair, Neuropathy Action Foundation; Michelle Vogel, Executive Director, The Alliance for Plasma Therapies; Barby Ingle, Executive Director, Power of Pain Foundation; and David Messer III, Hawaii Academy of Physicians Assistants.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from Gordon Ito, State Insurance Commissioner, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Patricia McManaman, Interim Director, Department of Human Services; and Jennifer Diesman, Vice President, Government Relations, Hawaii Medical Services Association.

 

     Your Committee finds that standardizing the prior authorization process may significantly reduce administrative burdens for physicians.  At present, a major challenge in providing patients with timely and effective prescription drug treatment is the array of the formularies used by managed care organizations.  Reducing the number of prior authorizations is directly related to the improvement of patient care.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, in order to facilitate further discussion on the matter; and

 

(2)  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 Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1453, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1453, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair