Appropriates $      and $      for FY 2001-2002 and FY 2002-2003, respectively, to provide basic dental services for adults covered under Medicaid or QUEST on a fee-for-service basis. Imposes service cap of $500 per enrollee per year. DHS to expend.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that access to services that improve oral health is important to the overall health and well-being of individuals, and that dental services for indigent adults, especially those on the neighbor islands, are far too limited to meet the needs of the population.

As of February 1, 1996, basic dental services for adults covered by the Medicaid and QUEST medical assistance programs have been discontinued. At present, only emergency dental services are covered for these clients. Medicaid, a federally funded program, will provide 53.85 per cent of funds necessary for basic dental services for adult clients of the Medicaid and QUEST medical assistance programs. The State must provide the remaining 46.15 per cent for those who are qualified.

The legislature further finds that the department of health and some community health centers have provided dental services for adults, but due to budget cutbacks, services have been discontinued or scaled down. The result of these cutbacks is that indigent adults, even if covered by Medicaid or QUEST, have no access to basic dental care.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to provide basic dental services for covered adults under the Medicaid and QUEST medical assistance programs, with a $500 per enrollee per year cap, exclusive of emergency dental services.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $       , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2002-2003 to provide basic dental services for adults covered by the Medicaid and QUEST medical assistance programs on a fee-for-service basis through the QUEST program; provided that a service cap of $500 shall be imposed per enrollee per year. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.