Bill > HCR152

This concurrent resolution requests the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to establish a Pharmacy Reimbursement Working Group to explore mandatory health insurance coverage for pharmacist services. The working group would include representatives from the Board of Pharmacy, retail pharmacies, independent pharmacists, and health insurance industry, and would be tasked with gathering information about pharmacy reimbursement practices, discussing the potential impact of mandatory insurance coverage on patient access to care, and drafting proposed legislation. Specifically, the group will examine how reimbursing pharmacists for healthcare services within their professional scope could help address healthcare provider shortages, particularly in rural areas, and potentially reduce overall healthcare costs by preventing hospital readmissions and managing chronic conditions. The working group is expected to meet regularly, evaluate pharmacy services in other jurisdictions, and submit a written report with findings and proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the 2026 Legislative Session, with the ultimate goal of mandating fair reimbursement for pharmacists' clinical services.

Health and Social Services

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HCR&billnumber=152&year=2025