REPORT TITLE:
Dental services


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates funds to provide basic dental services for indigent
adults. (HB2156 HD2)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        2156
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR BASIC DENTAL SERVICES FOR ADULTS.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that access to basic
 
 2 dental services is important to a person's overall health and
 
 3 well-being.  Early treatment of dental problems may also prevent
 
 4 serious health complications in the future.      
 
 5      In 1996, basic dental services for adults enrolled in
 
 6 medicaid and Med-QUEST programs were terminated.  Since 1996,
 
 7 only emergency dental services have been covered by these
 
 8 programs.  Many low-income adults in these programs are unable to
 
 9 pay out-of-pocket expenses for basic dental services, such as
 
10 filling cavities or teeth cleaning.  Therefore, these individuals
 
11 elect not to seek these needed services and often suffer serious
 
12 health consequences.  The legislature acknowledges that there are
 
13 many indigent adults who do not qualify for either medicaid or
 
14 Med-QUEST benefits and who are also in need of basic dental care
 
15 services.    
 
16      Good dental health increases pride and self-esteem, which is
 
17 essential for those who are making a transition from welfare to
 
18 work.  For those on welfare, dental care has been identified as
 
19 an essential need and factor in their ability or inability to
 

 
Page 2                                                     2156
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 secure employment.  Therefore, restoring basic dental services
 
 2 for indigent adults is in line with current welfare reform.
 
 3      The legislature finds that if the Med-QUEST program is
 
 4 expanded to provide increased dental services, the total funds
 
 5 required would be over $10,000,000.  Therefore, it would be more
 
 6 cost-effective to use community-based centers and other
 
 7 nonprofit, community-based dental safety-net providers to provide
 
 8 dental services for indigent adults.  Contracting with these
 
 9 providers is a rational approach to care because they are well-
 
10 known as the health care safety-net in their communities.  By
 
11 working with these providers, the State is obtaining excellent
 
12 service for its money and helping subsidize these providers
 
13 through financial hard times.  
 
14      The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to the
 
15 dental health division of the department of health to provide
 
16 basic dental services statewide to indigent adults.
 
17      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
18 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1 or so much thereof
 
19 as may be necessary for fiscal year 2000-2001 for start-up costs
 
20 and dental services for indigent adults; provided that these
 
21 dental services are provided through community-based health
 
22 centers and other nonprofit, community-based dental safety-net
 
23 providers.
 

 
Page 3                                                     2156
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 3.  The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
 
 2 department of health for the purposes of this Act.
 
 3      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2000.