Maui hospital Officials at Maui Memorial Medical Center said they're excited about Gov. Linda Lingle's plan to expand their hospital program into a statewide service that would provide free prescription drugs to qualified low-income people.
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-By Gary T. Kubota
gkubota@starbulletin.com
"I'm very happy," said hospital chief financial executive John Schaumburg. "We've been doing it, and I think a lot of people have benefited."
In her State of the State address yesterday, Lingle announced a plan to put together a public-private partnership that "will provide free prescription drugs to our most vulnerable citizens."
The estimated cost of the statewide program would be $1.2 million, and the money for it would come primarily from donations from nonprofit groups, Lingle's senior adviser Randall Roth said.
Most of the money would be used for buying computer software, equipment and facilities, and paying for a staff working for a nonprofit consortium of different groups, said Dr. Philip Hellreich, who helped lead a committee developing the idea.
Lingle said the unique program is possible because the Hawaii Medical Association has offered to mobilize the support of Hawaii's physician community and fund a hot line so that help is readily available.
Lingle said state health and hospital officials will be working closely with the association and physicians.
The governor said the program, already operating successfully at Maui Memorial, will serve about 20,000 low-income people in its first year.
The Maui program was initiated about two years ago by hospital chief financial officer Kathy Cain, who was familiar with a similar service at San Francisco General Hospital.
Under the Maui program, physicians refer patients who are unable to pay for medication to the hospital pharmacy services.
The hospital's pharmacy technician helps patients fill out applications to drug manufacturers who have patient-assistance programs that donate patent drugs to qualified low-income people.
The patient then returns the form to the physician, who applies for patient assistance from the manufacturer.
Officials said the income qualifications vary from one manufacturer to another and not all drugs are covered in the patient-assistance program.
Hospital pharmacy technician Karin Hokoana said manufacturers are willing to make donations for patent drugs but not drugs that have a generic alternative.
The Maui program helps provide patent drugs that reduce cholesterol for those with heart conditions and help to manage pain for dying cancer patients -- medications that can easily cost more than $100 a month.
Hokoana said generally, most of the manufacturers follow federal poverty guidelines, and those qualifying for help include a person with $1,100 or less in monthly income or a couple receiving $1,500 or less monthly.
Cain said the average number of patients at Maui Memorial receiving benefits is 600 and the average amount in benefits for each is about $1,775.
Cain said 90 percent of the patients receiving help through the program are Medicare patients, seniors who are living on fixed incomes.
She said about 70 percent of those receiving patient services are women, mainly because women tend to take care of a family's health and communicate about health issues among themselves.
"Often they have to make a choice whether they want to buy prescription drugs or food," Cain said.
Cain said through Hokoana's efforts, the Maui program has expanded to receive help from Heart To Heart International, a clearinghouse that sends donated sample drugs and medical supplies to the Valley Isle.
She said the Maui program serves as a safety net for low-income patients and also builds patient loyalty to the medical center.
Cain said she was happy to hear from Lingle that local charities have indicated an interest in funding a statewide program and that the HMA was willing to help through providing a hot line.
"The patients are very appreciative," Hokoana said. "That makes it very worthwhile."
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