STAND. COM. REP. NO. 94-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2156
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No.
2156 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR BASIC DENTAL
     SERVICES FOR ADULTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds to provide
basic dental services for adults covered by Medicaid or Med-QUEST
programs for fiscal year 2000-2001, on a fee-for-service basis
through the Med-QUEST program.  This bill sets a $250 per year
cap on basic dental services per individual, exclusive of
emergency dental services.  

     Testimony is support of this bill was received by the Hawaii
Nurses' Association, Hawaii State Primary Care Association,
Kalihi-Palama Health Center, Kokua Council, Hawaii Dental
Association, Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association, State
Planning Council On Developmental Disabilities, American Friends
Service Committee, The Arc in Hawaii, Waimanalo Health Center,
Aloha Care, and concerned individuals.  The Department of Human
Services submitted testimony in support of the intent of this
bill.

     Your Committee agrees with the Department of Human Services
that if the Med-QUEST program is expanded to provide increased
dental services, the total funds required to fulfill the purpose
of this bill would be over $10,000,000.  Therefore, your
Committee finds that it would be more cost-effective to use

 
 
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                                 Page 2

 
community health centers and nonprofit, community-based dental
safety-net providers to provide basic dental care services to
indigent adults.  

     Upon consideration, your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Deleting the $250 per year cap on basic dental services
          for covered adults;
     
     (2)  Expanding access to basic dental care to indigent
          patients who do not qualify for Medicaid or Med-QUEST; 

     (3)  Using community-based health centers and other
          nonprofit, community-based dental safety-net providers
          to provide basic dental services to indigent adults;

     (4)  Appropriating the total amount of $2,244,000 to the
          dental health division of the Department of Health for
          statewide services; and

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for
          purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
2156, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second
Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2156, H.D. 1, and
be referred to the Committee on Finance.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Health,



                                   ______________________________
                                   ALEXANDER C. SANTIAGO, Chair