BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                           Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair

                                           1570 (Salas)
          
          Hearing Date:  8/2/2010         Amended: 7/15/2010
          Consultant:  Bob Franzoia       Policy Vote: B,P&ED 8-0
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          BILL SUMMARY: AB 1570 would require the Dental Board of  
          California (board), in conjunction with the Health Professions  
          Education Foundation, to study the issue of its providing  
          malpractice insurance for dentists who provide voluntary, unpaid  
          services.  This bill would authorize the board to contract with  
          an independent entity to conduct the study, which shall be  
          reported to the Legislature by January 1, 2012.  By authorizing  
          the board to expend funds from the Dentally Underserved Account  
          to fund the study, a new purpose, the bill would make an  
          appropriation.
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          ____
                            Fiscal Impact (in thousands)

           Major Provisions         2010-11      2011-12       2012-13     Fund
           Malpractice insurance study       $50         $50       Special*
          * Dentally Underserved Account in the State Dentistry Fund
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          STAFF COMMENTS: The Health Professions Education Foundation, a  
          501 (C) (3) nonprofit, public benefit corporation was  
          established to provide scholarships and loan repayment grants to  
          underrepresented and economically disadvantaged health  
          professional students throughout California.  The foundation  
          awards scholarships and loan repayments through five special  
          funds including the Health Professions Education Fund which is  
          funded through philanthropic contributions from hospitals,  
          health plans, foundations, corporations and individuals and the  
          Medically Underserved Account for Physicians which is funded by  
          voluntary physician contributions and private donations.

          AB 2342 (Nakanishi) Chapter 276/2006 required the Medical Board  
          of California, in conjunction with the Health Professions  
          Education Foundation, to study the issue of providing medical  
          malpractice insurance to physicians who provide voluntary,  
          unpaid services and report its findings to the Legislature on or  










          before January 1, 2008.  That report cost approximately $52,000,  
          including contracting with the UC Davis Health System.

          Staff notes SB 1031 (Corbett), pending in the Assembly, would  
          create a Volunteer Insured Physician Program to provide medical  
          malpractice insurance coverage to physicians providing volunteer  
          uncompensated care.  AB 2334 (Salas) 2010 proposes creating a  
          similar Volunteer Insured Dentists Program administered by the  
          board.  AB 2334 was referred to the Assembly Health Committee,  
          but the hearing was cancelled by the author.