HI SCR13

Urges Congress to pass the Clinical Treatment Act to amend Title XIX of the Social Security Act to require Medicaid coverage of routine care costs for patients with life-threatening conditions enrolled in clinical trials

Notes that approximately 20 percent of Americans receive health insurance through Medicaid, but unlike Medicare and private insurers, Medicaid is not federally required to cover routine care costs such as physician visits and laboratory studies for clinical trial participants

States that only 10 states, including Hawaii, and the District of Columbia currently cover clinical trial participation for Medicaid beneficiaries, and that Medicaid covers a large portion of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in clinical trials

Asserts that guaranteed Medicaid coverage for routine clinical trial costs will encourage participation of underrepresented groups, improve research validity, and have minimal effect on overall care costs because trial sponsors cover investigational drug or device costs

Directs transmission of certified copies of the resolution to the Senate Majority Leader, House Speaker, and Hawaii's congressional delegation