Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

Hawaii Senate Bill SB324 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	THE SENATE S.B. NO. 324 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to pharmacists. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
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3	3	THE SENATE S.B. NO. 324
4	4	THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
5	5	STATE OF HAWAII
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7	7	THE SENATE
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9	9	S.B. NO.
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11	11	324
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13	13	THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
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17	17	STATE OF HAWAII
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31	31	A BILL FOR AN ACT
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37	37	relating to pharmacists.
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43	43	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
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47	47	SECTION 1. The legislature finds that there is currently a statewide physician shortage. According to the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, each county in the State contains a region that is a medically underserved area, as defined by the Public Health Service Act of 1944, P.L. 78-410. The legislature further finds that pharmacists can help bridge the gaps created by the physician shortage. A pharmacist's skill set includes educating patients on how and when to check blood sugar, ways to avoid and manage hypoglycemia, how to take their medications correctly to avoid adverse effects, and various medication utilization techniques. Additionally, patients are three times more likely to stay out of the hospital when pharmacists provide clinical services after a hospital discharge. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to mandate reimbursement for services provided by pharmacists within their scope of practice by private and public health plans in the State. SECTION 2. Chapter 431, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to article 10A to be appropriately designated and to read as follows: "§431:10A- Services provided by participating registered pharmacists; coverage. (a) Each individual or group policy of accident and health or sickness insurance delivered or issued for delivery in this State after December 31, 2025, shall recognize pharmacists licensed pursuant to chapter 461 as participating providers and shall include coverage for care provided by a participating registered pharmacist practicing within the scope of their license for purposes of health maintenance or treatment to the extent that the policy provides benefits for identical services rendered by another health care provider. (b) For the purposes of this section, "participating registered pharmacist" means a pharmacist licensed pursuant to chapter 461 who has contracted with the insurer to provide health care services to its insureds." SECTION 3. Chapter 432, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to article 1 to be appropriately designated and to read as follows: "§432:1- Services provided by participating registered pharmacists; coverage. (a) Each individual and group hospital or medical service plan contract delivered or issued for delivery in this State after December 31, 2025, by a mutual benefit society shall recognize pharmacists licensed pursuant to chapter 461 as participating providers and shall include coverage for care provided by a participating registered pharmacist practicing within the scope of their license for purposes of health maintenance or treatment to the extent that the plan contract provides benefits for identical services rendered by another health care provider. (b) For the purposes of this section, "participating registered pharmacist" means a pharmacist licensed pursuant to chapter 461 who has contracted with the mutual benefit society to provide health care services to its members." SECTION 4. Section 346-53.64, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows: "(a) Services eligible for prospective payment system reimbursement are those services that are furnished by a federally qualified health center or rural health clinic that are: (1) Within the legal authority of a federally qualified health center to deliver, as defined in section 1905 of the Social Security Act; (2) Actually provided by the federally qualified health center, either directly or under arrangements; (3) Covered benefits under the medicaid program, as defined in section 4231 of the State Medicaid Manual and the Hawaii medicaid state plan; (4) Provided to a recipient eligible for medicaid benefits; (5) Delivered exclusively by health care professionals, including physicians, physician's assistants, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, nurse midwives, clinical social workers, clinical psychologists, and other persons acting within the lawful scope of their license or certificate to provide services; (6) Provided at the federally qualified health center's practice site, a hospital emergency room, in an inpatient setting, at the patient's place of residence, including long term care facilities, or at another medical facility; and (7) Within the scope of services provided by the State under its fee-for-service medicaid program and its medicaid managed care program, on and after August 1994, and as amended from time to time." SECTION 5. Section 346-59, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows: "(b) Rates of payment to providers of medical care who are individual practitioners, including doctors of medicine, dentists, podiatrists, psychologists, osteopaths, optometrists, pharmacists, and other individuals providing services, shall be based upon the Hawaii medicaid fee schedule. The amounts paid shall not exceed the maximum permitted to be paid individual practitioners or other individuals under federal law and regulation, the medicare fee schedule for the current year, the state limits as provided in the appropriation act, or the provider's billed amount. The appropriation act shall indicate the percentage of the medicare fee schedule for the year 2000 to be used as the basis for establishing the Hawaii medicaid fee schedule. For any subsequent adjustments to the fee schedule, the legislature shall specify the extent of the adjustment in the appropriation act." SECTION 6. Section 346-59.1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (g) to read as follows: "(g) For the purposes of this section: "Distant site" means the location of the health care provider delivering services through telehealth at the time the services are provided. "Health care provider" means a provider of services, as defined in title 42 United States Code section 1395x(u), a provider of medical and other health services, as defined in title 42 United States Code section 1395x(s), other practitioners licensed by the State and working within their scope of practice, and any other person or organization who furnishes, bills, or is paid for health care in the normal course of business, including but not limited to primary care providers, mental health providers, oral health providers, physicians and osteopathic physicians licensed under chapter 453, advanced practice registered nurses licensed under chapter 457, psychologists licensed under chapter 465, pharmacists licensed under chapter 461, and dentists licensed under chapter 448. "Interactive telecommunications system" has the same meaning as the term is defined in title 42 Code of Federal Regulations section 410.78(a). "Originating site" means the location where the patient is located, whether accompanied or not by a health care provider, at the time services are provided by a health care provider through telehealth, including but not limited to a health care provider's office, hospital, critical access hospital, rural health clinic, federally qualified health center, a patient's home, and other nonmedical environments such as school-based health centers, university-based health centers, or the work location of a patient. "Telehealth" means the use of telecommunications services, as defined in section 269-1, to encompass four modalities: store and forward technologies, remote monitoring, live consultation, and mobile health; and which shall include but not be limited to real-time video conferencing-based communication, secure interactive and non-interactive web-based communication, and secure asynchronous information exchange, to transmit patient medical information, including diagnostic-quality digital images and laboratory results for medical interpretation and diagnosis, for the purpose of delivering enhanced health care services and information while a patient is at an originating site and the health care provider is at a distant site. Except as provided through an interactive telecommunications system, standard telephone contacts, facsimile transmissions, or e-mail text, in combination or alone, do not constitute telehealth services." SECTION 7. Section 432D-23, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows: "§432D-23 Required provisions and benefits. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, each policy, contract, plan, or agreement issued in the State after January 1, 1995, by health maintenance organizations pursuant to this chapter, shall include benefits provided in sections 431:10-212, 431:10A-115, 431:10A-115.5, 431:10A-116, 431:10A‑116.2, 431:10A-116.5, 431:10A-116.6, 431:10A-119, 431:10A-120, 431:10A-121, 431:10A-122, 431:10A-125, 431:10A-126, 431:10A-132, 431:10A-133, 431:10A-134, 431:10A-140, and [431:10A-134,] 431:10A- , and chapter 431M." SECTION 8. The department of human services shall apply to the United States Department of Health and Human Services for any amendment to the state medicaid plan or for any medicaid waiver necessary to implement sections 4 through 6 of this Act. The office shall submit the medicaid state plan amendment no later than . SECTION 9. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date. SECTION 10. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored. SECTION 11. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that: (1) Sections 4 through 6 of this Act shall take effect upon approval of the Hawaii medicaid state plan by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; and (2) The amendments made to section 346-59.1(g), Hawaii Revised Statutes, by section 6 of this Act shall not be repealed when that section is reenacted on December 31, 2025, pursuant to section 8 of Act 107, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023. INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
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49	49	SECTION 1. The legislature finds that there is currently a statewide physician shortage. According to the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, each county in the State contains a region that is a medically underserved area, as defined by the Public Health Service Act of 1944, P.L. 78-410.
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51	51	The legislature further finds that pharmacists can help bridge the gaps created by the physician shortage. A pharmacist's skill set includes educating patients on how and when to check blood sugar, ways to avoid and manage hypoglycemia, how to take their medications correctly to avoid adverse effects, and various medication utilization techniques. Additionally, patients are three times more likely to stay out of the hospital when pharmacists provide clinical services after a hospital discharge.
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53	53	Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to mandate reimbursement for services provided by pharmacists within their scope of practice by private and public health plans in the State.
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55	55	SECTION 2. Chapter 431, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to article 10A to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
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57	57	"§431:10A- Services provided by participating registered pharmacists; coverage. (a) Each individual or group policy of accident and health or sickness insurance delivered or issued for delivery in this State after December 31, 2025, shall recognize pharmacists licensed pursuant to chapter 461 as participating providers and shall include coverage for care provided by a participating registered pharmacist practicing within the scope of their license for purposes of health maintenance or treatment to the extent that the policy provides benefits for identical services rendered by another health care provider.
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59	59	(b) For the purposes of this section, "participating registered pharmacist" means a pharmacist licensed pursuant to chapter 461 who has contracted with the insurer to provide health care services to its insureds."
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61	61	SECTION 3. Chapter 432, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to article 1 to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
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63	63	"§432:1- Services provided by participating registered pharmacists; coverage. (a) Each individual and group hospital or medical service plan contract delivered or issued for delivery in this State after December 31, 2025, by a mutual benefit society shall recognize pharmacists licensed pursuant to chapter 461 as participating providers and shall include coverage for care provided by a participating registered pharmacist practicing within the scope of their license for purposes of health maintenance or treatment to the extent that the plan contract provides benefits for identical services rendered by another health care provider.
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65	65	(b) For the purposes of this section, "participating registered pharmacist" means a pharmacist licensed pursuant to chapter 461 who has contracted with the mutual benefit society to provide health care services to its members."
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67	67	SECTION 4. Section 346-53.64, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
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69	69	"(a) Services eligible for prospective payment system reimbursement are those services that are furnished by a federally qualified health center or rural health clinic that are:
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71	71	(1) Within the legal authority of a federally qualified health center to deliver, as defined in section 1905 of the Social Security Act;
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73	73	(2) Actually provided by the federally qualified health center, either directly or under arrangements;
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75	75	(3) Covered benefits under the medicaid program, as defined in section 4231 of the State Medicaid Manual and the Hawaii medicaid state plan;
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77	77	(4) Provided to a recipient eligible for medicaid benefits;
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79	79	(5) Delivered exclusively by health care professionals, including physicians, physician's assistants, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, nurse midwives, clinical social workers, clinical psychologists, and other persons acting within the lawful scope of their license or certificate to provide services;
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81	81	(6) Provided at the federally qualified health center's practice site, a hospital emergency room, in an inpatient setting, at the patient's place of residence, including long term care facilities, or at another medical facility; and
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83	83	(7) Within the scope of services provided by the State under its fee-for-service medicaid program and its medicaid managed care program, on and after August 1994, and as amended from time to time."
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85	85	SECTION 5. Section 346-59, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
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87	87	"(b) Rates of payment to providers of medical care who are individual practitioners, including doctors of medicine, dentists, podiatrists, psychologists, osteopaths, optometrists, pharmacists, and other individuals providing services, shall be based upon the Hawaii medicaid fee schedule. The amounts paid shall not exceed the maximum permitted to be paid individual practitioners or other individuals under federal law and regulation, the medicare fee schedule for the current year, the state limits as provided in the appropriation act, or the provider's billed amount.
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89	89	The appropriation act shall indicate the percentage of the medicare fee schedule for the year 2000 to be used as the basis for establishing the Hawaii medicaid fee schedule. For any subsequent adjustments to the fee schedule, the legislature shall specify the extent of the adjustment in the appropriation act."
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91	91	SECTION 6. Section 346-59.1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (g) to read as follows:
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93	93	"(g) For the purposes of this section:
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95	95	"Distant site" means the location of the health care provider delivering services through telehealth at the time the services are provided.
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97	97	"Health care provider" means a provider of services, as defined in title 42 United States Code section 1395x(u), a provider of medical and other health services, as defined in title 42 United States Code section 1395x(s), other practitioners licensed by the State and working within their scope of practice, and any other person or organization who furnishes, bills, or is paid for health care in the normal course of business, including but not limited to primary care providers, mental health providers, oral health providers, physicians and osteopathic physicians licensed under chapter 453, advanced practice registered nurses licensed under chapter 457, psychologists licensed under chapter 465, pharmacists licensed under chapter 461, and dentists licensed under chapter 448.
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99	99	"Interactive telecommunications system" has the same meaning as the term is defined in title 42 Code of Federal Regulations section 410.78(a).
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101	101	"Originating site" means the location where the patient is located, whether accompanied or not by a health care provider, at the time services are provided by a health care provider through telehealth, including but not limited to a health care provider's office, hospital, critical access hospital, rural health clinic, federally qualified health center, a patient's home, and other nonmedical environments such as school-based health centers, university-based health centers, or the work location of a patient.
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103	103	"Telehealth" means the use of telecommunications services, as defined in section 269-1, to encompass four modalities: store and forward technologies, remote monitoring, live consultation, and mobile health; and which shall include but not be limited to real-time video conferencing-based communication, secure interactive and non-interactive web-based communication, and secure asynchronous information exchange, to transmit patient medical information, including diagnostic-quality digital images and laboratory results for medical interpretation and diagnosis, for the purpose of delivering enhanced health care services and information while a patient is at an originating site and the health care provider is at a distant site. Except as provided through an interactive telecommunications system, standard telephone contacts, facsimile transmissions, or e-mail text, in combination or alone, do not constitute telehealth services."
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105	105	SECTION 7. Section 432D-23, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
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107	107	"§432D-23 Required provisions and benefits. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, each policy, contract, plan, or agreement issued in the State after January 1, 1995, by health maintenance organizations pursuant to this chapter, shall include benefits provided in sections 431:10-212, 431:10A-115, 431:10A-115.5, 431:10A-116, 431:10A‑116.2, 431:10A-116.5, 431:10A-116.6, 431:10A-119, 431:10A-120, 431:10A-121, 431:10A-122, 431:10A-125, 431:10A-126, 431:10A-132, 431:10A-133, 431:10A-134, 431:10A-140, and [431:10A-134,] 431:10A- , and chapter 431M."
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109	109	SECTION 8. The department of human services shall apply to the United States Department of Health and Human Services for any amendment to the state medicaid plan or for any medicaid waiver necessary to implement sections 4 through 6 of this Act. The office shall submit the medicaid state plan amendment no later than .
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111	111	SECTION 9. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.
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113	113	SECTION 10. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
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115	115	SECTION 11. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that:
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117	117	(1) Sections 4 through 6 of this Act shall take effect upon approval of the Hawaii medicaid state plan by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; and
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119	119	(2) The amendments made to section 346-59.1(g), Hawaii Revised Statutes, by section 6 of this Act shall not be repealed when that section is reenacted on December 31, 2025, pursuant to section 8 of Act 107, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023.
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123	123	INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
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125	125	INTRODUCED BY:
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133	133	Report Title: Insurance Coverage; Pharmacists; Reimbursement Description: Mandates reimbursement for services provided by participating registered pharmacists practicing within their scope of practice by private and public health plans in the State beginning January 1, 2026. The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
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141	141	Report Title:
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143	143	Insurance Coverage; Pharmacists; Reimbursement
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147	147	Description:
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149	149	Mandates reimbursement for services provided by participating registered pharmacists practicing within their scope of practice by private and public health plans in the State beginning January 1, 2026.
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157	157	The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.