Report Title:

Prescription Drugs; Federal Medical Supply Schedule

 

Description:

Requires that individuals with no health insurance to pay at the federal medical supply schedule for prescription drugs.

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

411

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the cost of prescription drugs has risen significantly and continues to rise, which makes it impossible for certain individuals in the State to afford necessary medication. The purpose of this Act is to restrict the prices charged to individuals without health insurance in the State to the prices in the federal medical supply schedule.

SECTION 2. Chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§346-    Prescription drugs; individuals with no health insurance; federal medical supply schedule; verification; rules. (a) Individuals who do not have health insurance and who do not qualify for the department of human services fee-for-service Medicaid program or the QUEST managed care program, or any other health insurance program for low-income individuals, shall not be required to pay for prescription drugs at prices higher than those in the federal medical supply schedule.

(b) The director of human services, assisted by the insurance commissioner and the director of health, shall establish a system to verify whether an individual is eligible for health insurance under subsection (a) and the individual's actual status with regard to having health insurance for purposes of qualifying for lower prescription drug prices.

(c) The director of human services shall adopt rules under chapter 91 to implement this section, including how often an individual's status shall be reviewed, the method of verifying an individual's status, and the method of identifying such individuals to pharmacists in the State."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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