STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1027

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 467

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 467 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO RESTORE ADULT DENTAL BENEFITS TO MEDICAID ENROLLEES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to restore diagnostic, preventative, and restorative dental benefits to adult Medicaid enrollees.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities; Disability and Communication Access Board; Healthcare Association of Hawaii; Catholic Charities Hawaii; Lanai Community Health Center; Oral Health for All Hawaii; We Are One, Inc.; Hawaii State Rural Health Association; Hawaii Self Advocates Advisory Council; Hawaii Dental Hygienists Association; Save Medicaid Hawaii; Hoola Lahui Hawaii; Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; The Queen's Health Systems; Ohana Health Plan; AlohaCare; Kokua Kalihi Valley Community Health Center; Hawaii Dental Association; Hawaii Public Health Institute; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and Hawaii Primary Care Association.

Your Committee finds that poor oral health is linked to many serious and chronic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, strokes, depression, low birth weight, and premature birth. Your Committee notes that, without coverage for routine dental care, many Medicaid recipients seek emergency care for preventable oral health problems. Your Committee finds that restoring adult dental benefits would allow approximately one hundred eighty thousand Medicaid recipients in the State to maintain their health through early detection and treatment of dental conditions and oral diseases.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation from an unspecified amount to $100,000 for each fiscal year in the 2019-2021 fiscal biennium;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(3) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 467, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 467, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair