BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 648
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Date of Hearing: April 15, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
648 (Low) - As Introduced February 24, 2015
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill appropriates $4 million to the Department of Public
Health (DPH) to establish the Virtual Dental Home (VDH) program,
and specifies administrative requirements and program goals.
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FISCAL EFFECT:
1)$4 million GF to DPH to establish the program. DPH would scale
the effort, including number of sites, individuals trained,
and individuals served, to the available funding. The bill's
supporters, who are familiar with the VDH model, project the
funding could be used to support training and equipment in 20
communities over a three-year grant period.
2)To the extent this model is successful in promoting access to
preventive and diagnostic dental services and more children
are able to receive such services through its widespread
adoption, there could be commensurate cost pressure on
Medi-Cal dental services to reimburse for additional services
(GF/federal funds). However, any increased costs would likely
be offset to some extent by reductions in emergency dental
procedures or complications from untreated dental disease.
The magnitude and likelihood of such costs or savings is
unknown.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. The author states VDH has the potential to become a
sustainable and scalable model for dental care delivery, but
needs an upfront investment in training, equipment, technical
assistance, and other support to develop the critical mass
needed to spread statewide and truly be integrated into
California's dental delivery system. The bill is co-sponsored
by the California Dental Association and The Children's
Partnership.
2)Background. VDH is a community-based oral health delivery
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system in which people receive preventive and simple
therapeutic services in community settings. It uses telehealth
technology to link dental hygienists and dental assistants in
the community with dentists in dental offices and clinics,
enabling care in places like Head Start sites and schools. VDH
was developed and evaluated through the state Office of
Statewide Health Planning and Development's Health Workforce
Pilot Program (HWPP#172). AB 1174 (Bocanegra), Chapter 662,
Statutes of 2014, provided a statutory framework for VDH and
authorized scope of practice changes, as well as Medi-Cal
reimbursement for VDH-provided services.
Analysis Prepared by:Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916)
319-2081