Posted on: Wednesday, June 4, 2003

Hawaii Rx backers hail Maine progress

By B.J. Reyes
Associated Press

As Maine moves forward on implementing a plan aimed at lowering prescription drug prices for the poor and uninsured, a key Hawai'i lawmaker is calling for Island officials to do the same.

Sen. Ron Menor, chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, said yesterday he was informed of Maine's progress in a recent conference call.

"As Maine officials reaffirmed for me, in spite of legal hurdles that will still have to be addressed, the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision clearly gives states such as Hawai'i the green light to move ahead with our own program," Menor, D-17th (Mililani, Waipi'o), said in a statement.

The high court on May 19 gave Maine the go-ahead to implement its "Maine Rx" program to negotiate directly with drug companies to try to bring down the cost of prescription medication for people who lack coverage.

An initiative known as "Hawaii Rx," approved by the 2002 Legislature and scheduled to take effect July 1 of next year, was modeled after the Maine program.

Last week, Maine Gov. John Baldacci outlined a new plan aimed at improving Maine Rx and addressing legal concerns.

The "Maine Rx Plus" plan establishes an income threshold of 350 percent of the federal poverty level, which means people who earn less would be eligible to purchase certain drugs at the same price paid by Maine's Medicaid. The state also would be authorized to seek further discounts by entering into rebate agreements with drug manufacturers. State officials said last week they expect to have Maine Rx Plus in operation later this year.

"Given the recent developments in the state of Maine, Hawai'i should follow suit and move to implement our own Rx program," Menor said.

He called for legislation to incorporate the Maine changes into the Hawaii Rx program, with the intention of having a bill ready in time for the 2004 Legislature.

Gov. Linda Lingle — who earlier this year announced a public-private partnership to help the uninsured obtain prescriptions — has said the state should be more cautious in its approach.

The Supreme Court stopped short of any broad endorsement of the merits of Maine's plan, ruling only that drugmakers didn't adequately show why the plan should be blocked.

After the ruling, Lingle announced that a six-member, bipartisan task force would study the issue of prescription drug costs and advise the state on how to proceed. Conflicts is scheduling have kept members of the task force from meeting so far, the governor's spokesman, Russell Pang, said.

Lingle in March announced a program called Prescription Care Hawaii, a public-private effort started with a $3 million donation from the Weinberg Foundation. The program would link patients to various pharmaceutical company assistance programs that donate free drugs.