STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3119

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.R. No. 28
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred S.R. No. 28 entitled:

     "SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH AND
     HUMAN SERVICES TO STUDY HOW HAWAII WOULD RESPOND TO AND
     SUPPORT FEDERAL ACTION TO AMEND MEDICARE BENEFITS TO INCLUDE
     PRESCRIPTION DRUG ASSISTANCE TO THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the State
Departments of Health and Human Services to study a means for
Hawaii to respond to and support federal changes to Medicare
benefits to include prescription drug coverages for the elderly
and disabled.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Department of Health and Executive Office on Aging.
Informational testimony was presented by the Department of Human
Services. 

     The United States Congress is anticipated to soon enact
legislation, the Prescription Drug Fairness for Seniors Act
(Act), to include prescription drug coverages under Medicare for
the elderly and disabled.  The Act would also drastically reduce
the costs of prescription drugs for this population.   Because of
the high costs of prescription drugs, Hawaii does not have a
public program of prescription drug coverages for this population
apart from Medicare.  However, the Act would mean that Hawaii
could consider initiating its own supplemental prescription drug

 
a                                                     SR28 SD1   
                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3119
                                   Page 2


coverage or other drug coverage plan, as some states have done.
This measure is intended to facilitate the State's planning for
this change.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Urging the U.S. Congress to support the legislation and
          changing the title accordingly; and

     (2)  Transmitting this measure to the President of the U.S.
          Senate, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives,
          and members of Hawaii's Congressional Delegation.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this
report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of
S.R. No. 28, as amended herein, and recommends that it be
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached
hereto as S.R. No. 28, S.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Health and Human
                                   Services,



                                   ______________________________
                                   SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
a                                                     SR28 SD1