STAND. COM. REP. NO. 655

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 27

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 27 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO RESTORE BASIC ADULT DENTAL BENEFITS TO MEDICAID ENROLLEES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to restore basic adult dental benefits to Medicaid enrollees.

 

     Specifically, the measure:

 

     (1)  Appropriates funds to the Department of Human Services to restore basic adult dental benefits to Medicaid enrollees in fiscal years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019; and

 

     (2)  Requires the Department of Human Services to obtain the maximum federal matching funds available for this expenditure.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Disability and Communication Access Board, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association, Hawaii Public Health Association, Hawaii Pacific Health, Hawaii Public Health Institute, The Queen's Health Systems, ARC of Maui, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Ho'ola Lahui Hawai'i, and a concerned individual.

 

     Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

 

     Your Committee finds that oral health in the State is a pervasive and expensive public health crisis.  Your Committee believes the restoration of basic adult dental benefits to medicaid enrollees would help to address this crisis.  Your Committee further finds that lack of access to preventive oral health care has a negative impact on a person's health, especially for individuals with chronic diseases as well as pregnant women and their newborns.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the appropriation for fiscal year 2017-2018 from $4,700,000 to an unspecified sum;

 

     (2)  Changing the appropriation for fiscal year 2018-2019 from $9,400,000 to an unspecified sum; and

 

     (3)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050 to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

 

Your Committee intends to consider including the appropriations under this measure in the executive budget.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 27, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 27, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair