STAND. COM. REP. NO. 56-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 1796

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1796 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make prescription medication less cost-prohibitive for consumers by placing a cap on the total amount that an insured is required to pay for a prescription insulin drug at $100 per thirty-day supply of that drug.

Your Committee has received testimony in support from AARP Hawaii and Health Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaii. Your Committee has received testimony in opposition from Hawaii Medical Service Association. Your Committee has received comments from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund Board, and Kaiser Permanente Hawaii.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting contents that would have placed a cap on the total amount that an insured is required to pay for a prescription insulin drug;

(2) Establishing the Insulin Drug Task Force within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to study whether cost-sharing limits should be placed on prescription insulin drugs;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1796, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1796, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair