STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1612

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 164

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 164 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ESTABLISH AND CONVENE A MEDICATION SYNCHRONIZATION WORKING GROUP TO EXPLORE AND PROPOSE LEGISLATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to consider the benefits of medication synchronization by requesting the Director of Health to convene a medication synchronization working group to explore and propose legislation.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, Hawaii Pharmacists Association, Walgreen Company, CVS Health/Longs Drugs, Times Pharmacy, Kaiser Permanente, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

     Your Committee finds that many states across the country are approving medication synchronization for commercial patients.  Your Committee further finds that medication synchronization has the potential to improve patient health, reduce costs to insurers, and promote efficient workflow in pharmacies by allowing pharmacists and patients to work together to synchronize a patient's medications for pick-up on the same day each month.  Furthermore, studies demonstrate that appointment-based medication synchronization can significantly improve medication adherence rates.  Your Committee notes that medication synchronization also has the potential to simplify therapeutic regimes and improve access to care for patients living in rural areas or patients with limited means of transportation.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting language to add Kaiser Permanente to the working group;

     (2)  Making a technical amendment to its title; and

     (3)  Making other technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 164, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 164, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair