The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services on Jan. 31, 2025.
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Jan. 31, 2025 1:34 p.m.
Hawaii State Capitol
Conference Room 225 and Videoconference
To: Senate Committee on Health and Human Services
Sen. Joy A. San Buenaventura, Chair
Sen. Henry J.C. Aquino, Vice-Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns
COMMENTS IN SUPPORT OF SB1245 — RELATING TO PHARMACISTS
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair and other members of the committee,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii would like to offer its support for SB1245, which would mandate reimbursement by both public and private health plans for services provided by pharmacists acting within their scope of practice.
Enactment of this bill would be another step toward providing more healthcare options and access for Hawaii residents. Moreover, it would give lawmakers more flexibility to explore expanding pharmacist scope of practice in the future without creating confusion about reimbursement issues.
Research indicates that state scope-of-practice restrictions — such as restrictions on the ability of pharmacists to independently prescribe and adapt certain medications — can impede the delivery of optimal care.
In some cases, increasing the scope of practice for pharmacists would provide alternatives for patients seeking help with simple issues, such as quitting the use of tobacco, which in turn would reduce the burden on local doctors and lower the cost of care.
This could be especially beneficial in rural areas, where Hawaii’s doctor shortage contributes to limited options and longer waits for care.
Providing a mechanism to encourage broader use of pharmacists would be a good way to help reduce healthcare costs in our state while improving overall care.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Ted Kefalas
Director of Strategic Campaigns
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
