BILL NUMBER: SB 1098	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 21, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 11, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Cannella

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2016

   An act to add Section 14005.273 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 establish the Denti-Cal Advisory Group in the
department, as specified, for the purpose of studying and overseeing
the policies and priorities of Denti-Cal with the goal of raising the
Denti-Cal utilization rate among children and 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. 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
oversee 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 is added to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, to read:
   14005.273.  (a) There is hereby established in the department the
Denti-Cal Advisory Group. The duties of the advisory group shall
include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
   (1) Studying and overseeing 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.
   (b) The advisory group shall consist of the following members:
   (1) The state dental  director, who shall serve as its
chair.   director. 
   (2) Eight   Ten  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) A representative of a health care foundation.
   (E) A licensed pediatrician who is qualified to assess impacts on
the overall health of children.
   (F) An expert on practices in the dental insurance or health
insurance markets.
   (G) Two university professors who are experts in dental practice
or the dental services field. 
   (H) A representative of a Denti-Cal health plan organization.
 
   (I) A consumer advocate with experience in children's oral health.

   (3) Two members appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules that
shall include the following:
   (A) A licensed dentist.
   (B) A licensed dental hygienist.
   (4) Two members appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly that
shall include the following:
   (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 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.