Expands coverage under the State's medicaid and QUEST programs to include comprehensive dental care for adults and appropriates funds to provide the additional coverage.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that eligible persons under twenty-one years of age receive full dental coverage under medicaid and QUEST, whereas dental coverage for eligible persons twenty-one years of age or older is limited to dental emergencies.

Poor dental hygiene is related to many medical ailments, including digestive problems, heart disease, mouth and throat infections, and other chronic health problems. Dentists are often the first to recognize symptoms of disease otherwise undetected by physicians. According to the Hawaiian Islands Oral Health Task Force, many of Hawaii's adults suffer from dental disease and the uninsured, low-income adults and disabled populations suffer disproportionately.

It is unreasonable to require adult recipients of medicaid and QUEST to wait until a dental condition is dire, and potentially more costly, before it will be covered.

The purpose of this Act is to expand coverage under medicaid and QUEST to include comprehensive dental care coverage for persons twenty-one years of age or older and to appropriate funds to provide the additional coverage.

SECTION 2. Chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§346-   Dental care coverage. The department shall provide comprehensive coverage to medicaid and QUEST recipients for dental care administered by licensed practitioners under chapters 447 and 448."

SECTION 3. 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 2006-2007, to expand coverage under medicaid and QUEST to include comprehensive dental care coverage for persons twenty-one years of age or older.

SECTION 4. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.