BILL NUMBER: SB 1098 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 30, 2016
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 1, 2016
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 21, 2016
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 11, 2016
INTRODUCED BY Senator Cannella
( Coauthors: Assembly Members
Mayes and Wood )
FEBRUARY 17, 2016
An act to add and repeal Section 14005.273
14005.276 to the Welfare and Institutions Code,
relating to Medi-Cal.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1098, as amended, Cannella. Medi-Cal: dental services: advisory
group.
Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the
State Department of Health Care Services, under which basic health
care services are provided to qualified low-income persons. The
Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid
provisions. Existing law provides coverage for certain dental
services, as specified, to Medi-Cal beneficiaries 17 years of age and
under through the Denti-Cal program.
This bill would would, until January 1,
2022, establish the Denti-Cal Advisory Group in the department,
as specified, for the purpose of studying the policies and
priorities of Denti-Cal with the goal of raising the Denti-Cal
utilization rate among children and children,
providing assistance and advice to the department, the
Governor, and the Legislature to ensure that proposed decisions
relating to the Denti-Cal program are based on the best available
evidence. evidence, and studying and
evaluating how Denti-Cal program policies align with and support the
implementation of the state oral health plan. The bill would prohibit
the advisory group from taking a position on legislation. The
bill would make related legislative findings and declarations.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(1) Denti-Cal is the Medi-Cal dental health care component program
that was established soon after the 1966 creation of the Medi-Cal
program.
(2) According to an audit conducted by the State Auditor in 2014,
only 43.9 percent of children enrolled in the Denti-Cal program had
seen a dentist in the previous year--a utilization rate that was the
12th worst among states that submitted data to the federal Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Eleven California counties had no
Denti-Cal providers or no providers willing to accept new child
patients covered by Denti-Cal.
(3) Denti-Cal's 13 million or more beneficiaries need the State
Department of Health Care Services and dental care providers to
improve their relationships.
(4) In any sector, public or private, good relationships are built
on a foundation of good customer service.
(b) Therefore, the Legislature establishes pursuant to this act an
evidence-based advisory group to guide Denti-Cal priorities, to
study policy decisions, and to increase annual Denti-Cal utilization
rates among children in the state to 60 percent or greater, as is the
case in approximately 20 percent of states.
SEC. 2. Section 14005.273 14005.276
is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:
14005.273. 14005.276. (a) There is
hereby established in the department the Denti-Cal Advisory Group.
The duties of the advisory group shall include all of the following:
(1) Studying the policies and priorities of Denti-Cal, the state
Medi-Cal dental services program, with the goal of raising the
Denti-Cal utilization rate among eligible child beneficiaries to 60
percent or greater.
(2) Providing assistance and advice to the department, the
Legislature, and the Governor regarding proposed decisions relating
to the Denti-Cal program to ensure that those decisions are based on
the best available evidence.
(3) Studying and evaluating how Denti-Cal program policies align
with and support the implementation of the state oral health plan.
(b) The advisory group shall consist of the following members:
(1) The state dental director.
(2) Ten Seven members appointed by
the Governor that shall include the following:
(A) A representative from the California Dental Association.
(B) A representative from the California Dental Hygienists'
Association.
(C) A licensed social worker.
(D)
(C) A representative of a philanthropic
health care foundation.
(E)
(D) A licensed pediatrician who is qualified
to assess impacts on the overall health of children.
representative of the California Society of Pediatric Dentistry.
(F) An expert on practices in the dental insurance or health
insurance markets.
(G)
(E) Two university professors or educators
who are experts in dental practice or the dental services field.
(H)
(F) A representative of a Denti-Cal health plan
organization.
(I) A consumer advocate with experience in children's oral health.
(3) Two members A maternal and child
health advocate, appointed by the Senate Committee on
Rules that shall include the following: Rules, with
experience in the link between a mother's access to oral health care
during pregnancy and postpartum and the child's improved access to
oral health care.
(A) A licensed dentist.
(B) A licensed dental hygienist.
(4) Two members A consumer advocate,
appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly that shall include
the following: Assembly, with experience in adult
dental health.
(A) A licensed dentist.
(B) A licensed dental hygienist.
(c) Before entering upon the discharge of his or her official
duties, each member of the advisory group appointed pursuant to this
section shall take and file an oath pursuant to Sections 1360 and
1363 of the Government Code.
(d) A member of the commission advisory
group shall serve for a term of three years. There shall be no
limit on the number of terms a member may serve. The terms of members
may be staggered so that the terms of all members will not expire at
the same time.
(e) A member of the advisory group shall not be compensated for
his or her services, except that he or she shall be paid reasonable
per diem and reimbursement of reasonable expenses for attending
meetings and discharging other official responsibilities as
authorized by the department and this section.
(f) The advisory group shall not take a position on legislation.
(g) The advisory group may report any of its findings to the
Legislature.
(h) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2022, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2022, deletes or extends
that date.