Bill Text: HI HCR164 | 2017 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Requesting That The Director Of Health Establish And Convene A Medication Synchronization Working Group To Explore And Propose Legislation.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)

Status: (Passed) 2017-05-02 - Resolution adopted in final form. [HCR164 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2017-HCR164-Amended.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	164
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THAT THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH ESTABLISH AND CONVENE A MEDICATION SYNCHRONIZATION WORKING GROUP TO EXPLORE AND PROPOSE LEGISLATION.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, medication synchronization improves patient health, reduces costs to insurers, and promotes 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; and

 

     WHEREAS, studies of more than 6,500 patients enrolled in pilot programs show that medication adherence rates can be greatly improved with appointment-based medication synchronization, particularly for patients requiring long-term maintenance medications; and

 

     WHEREAS, medication synchronization simplifies therapeutic regimens and improves access to care for patients living in rural areas and patients with limited means of transportation; and

 

     WHEREAS, pharmacists are well-trained to proactively manage a patient's medication-related needs, and medication synchronization allows pharmacists to provide medication therapy management and other types of clinical services to patients with greater success because pharmacies are easily accessible; and

 

     WHEREAS, medication synchronization benefits payers because it improves clinical quality by increasing adherence for members, and payers therefore achieve higher star ratings and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services bonus and rebate payments; and

 

     WHEREAS, 19 states, including Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Missouri, Louisiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, and New Jersey, have approved medication synchronization for commercial patients; and

 

     WHEREAS, of the 19 states that have approved medication synchronization, 14 are poised to pass medication synchronization legislation, with five more states considering legislation in 2017; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2017, the Senate concurring, that the Director of Health is requested to establish a medication synchronization working group to explore and propose legislation; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Health is requested to invite two representatives from the retail pharmacy community, one representative from the community pharmacy association, one representative from the health insurance industry, one representative from Kaiser Permanente, and one representative of the Board of Pharmacy to become members of the working group; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the medication synchronization working group is requested to:

 

     (1)  Meet regularly to gather information about medication synchronization practices across the nation with the goal of formulating a medication synchronization program for the State;

 

     (2)  Review and recommend implementation of best practices learned from other jurisdictions and discuss emerging policies and regulations with respect to but not limited to 90-day fills, pharmacist dispensing fees, and patient copays;

 

     (3)  Recommend any pharmacy staff education, including pharmacist continuing education requirements, as necessary; and

 

     (4)  Draft proposed legislation to create standards for medication synchronization programs in Hawaii; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the medication synchronization working group is requested to submit a written report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2018; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health, President of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals Hawaii Region, and Chairperson of the Board of Pharmacy.

Report Title: 

Medication Synchronization Working Group; Department of Health