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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 075 Draft 02 2002-2004 COL7NTY OF HAWAII STATE OF HAWAII RESOLUTION NO. 75 03 (DRAFT 2) A I2ESOLUT[ON 1'O SUPPORT THG l IEALTHY HAWAI I PRESCRIPTION DKUG PROGRAM. WHEREAS, the financial well being of many individuals and families in Hawai' i continues to be undermined by the high cost of prescription drugs. Act 75, Healthy IIawai'i program, which passed overwhelmingly with bipartisan support in both houses in 2002 by the Hawai i state legislature and also signed into law, will alleviate the negative impact prescription drug prices are having on the quality of life for as many as 170,000 of Hawai' is people; and, WIIEREAS, the Healthy Hawaii program would utilize the Medicaid program to provide discounts on prescription drugs to all Hawaii residents whose incomes arc at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. This group of beneficiaries includes thousands of working families and senior citizens throughout the state. Projections indicate Healthy Hawaii will benefit more than 150,000 Hawaii residents; and WHEREAS, one obstacle that prevents the implementation of this much-needed program is the approval of a Medicaid waiver, one was submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the U.S. Department of Health and [ [uman Services and it was initially denied in April of 2003; and WHEREAS, the Healthy Hawai' i program Medicaid waiver was submitted to Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, by the State Department of Human Services; and, WHEREAS, the Healthy Hawaii Act included au appropriation of $1.5 million to implement the program. In addition to paying start-up costs, the appropriation should reassure those responsible for its approval at the federal Icvel that the State of Hawai' i intends to invest its own ilmds in this much-needed program and does not expect the federal government to be the sole funding source; and WHEREAS, even in the event chat Congress approves one of the proposed prescription drug benefit plans under Medicare, it would riot solve the entire prescription drug issue in Hawai' i, since the federal measures would only cover Medicare beneficiaries, who are all over 65 years old or disabled. Unlike Healthy Hawaii, which helps everyone in need regardless of age, the federal legislation would provide no relief for low-to-middle- income working families and for the elderly wider the age of 65 who make up a large portion of those who would benefit from the Healthy 1 Iawai' i progrwn. These people must not only deal with the high cost of living in our state and the economic downturn that has affected their household incomes, but there xre also some residents who face the threat of personal bankruptcy if they are forced to pay the lull price of the prescription medications they need. l~he alternative is to neglect needed medication. NOW, THEREFORE. QE [T RF.SOLVP?D BY'fHB COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAI'1 that it asks Governor Linda Lingle, in the interest of the health and welfare of the people of our state, to use the power of her office and her personal powers of persuasion to strongly encourage Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of the U. S. Department of I lealth and Human Services, and the administrator of the Centers for Medicm~e and Medicaid Services to reconsider the denial of Hawai'i's application for the waiver and to grmt Hawaii's application for a Medicaid waiver to implement this important program under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act. I3G IT FURTHER RESOLVED That it encourages Governor Linda Lingle to commit and expend the $1.5 million in state landing needed to implement this program. [3E IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk is directed to transmit copies of this resolution to the Honorable: Linda Lingle. Governor of the State of Hawai~ i, the Honorable Daniel Inouye, the Honorable Daniel Akaka, the Honorable Neil Abercrombie, the Honorable Ed Case, and "fommy G. Thompson, Sea~etury of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services DA'I~ED: Ha~ai~i this day of , 2003. INTRODUCED 13Y: COU I . ME I3ER, COUNTY OF IIAWALI COUNTY COUNCIL Roll, CALi_ voT~ County of Hawaii _ _ nns Noes nl3s ex Hilo, Hawaii nan~;nla CHWG I hereby certify that the foregoing ILeS(~LUTION ~~us be ~-I',IARIONOPP 'fhe vote indicated to the right hercol udopled b} the COUN(l I, of the I IOLSCI IUI I ~ County of I lawai'i on IACUI350N LP:ffllGil D-TODU ATTfiST: KF.Y:JOI,DS ~~tiAPARIIC I YI,ISR C-243.1 Reference. COUNTY CLERK CHAIRMAN & PRESIDING OP't'ICER RGSOLU'fION NO. ~S _ 03 (DRAFT 2)