Bill > SR54

This resolution requests the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to establish a Pharmacy Reimbursement Working Group to explore and propose legislation regarding mandatory health insurance coverage for pharmacist services in Hawaii. The working group would include representatives from the Board of Pharmacy, retail pharmacies, independent pharmacists, and health insurance industry, with the goal of studying and drafting legislation to require health insurers to reimburse pharmacists for healthcare services provided within their professional scope of practice. The group is tasked with gathering information about current reimbursement practices, discussing the potential impact on patient access to care, examining how reimbursement could affect pharmacists and healthcare delivery, and evaluating pharmacy services in other jurisdictions. The working group is expected to meet regularly and submit a comprehensive written report with findings and proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the 2026 Legislative Session, addressing the broader context of Hawaii's healthcare provider shortage and the expanding role of pharmacists in delivering essential healthcare services.

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https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SR&billnumber=54&year=2025