CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. 35

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 1361

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

C.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

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. 1361, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE MEDICAID PRESCRIPTION DRUG EXPANSION PROGRAM,"

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 provide flexibility in the income level requirements of the Medicaid Prescription Drug Expansion Program (Program) established in Act 75, Session Laws of Hawaii 2002, to ensure compliance with federal requirements for funding approval by:

(1) Allowing the income eligibility limit for the Program to be set at any maximum income limit established by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for approval of federal funding for the Program;

(2) Clarifying that pharmacies and not pharmacists are to be paid by the Program; and

(3) Repealing the Program on July 1, 2006.

Your Committee on Conference acknowledges that the cost of prescription drugs has risen drastically in a short period of time. This measure will further strengthen the Program by allowing the flexibility to modify eligibility to the Program based on limits established by the federal government.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this bill by:

(1) Specifying that the Program income eligibility requirements meet the criteria required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; and

(2) 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. 1361, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1361, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________

RON MENOR, Chair

____________________________

MICHAEL P. KAHIKINA, Co-Chair

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Co-Chair

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Co-Chair

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair

____________________________

BERTHA C. KAWAKAMI, Co-Chair