California Senate Bill SB1098 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 1098AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 30, 2016 AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 1, 2016 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 21, 2016 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 11, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Senator Cannella  (   Coauthors:   Assembly Members   Mayes   and Wood   )  FEBRUARY 17, 2016 An act to add  and repeal  Section  14005.273   14005.276  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   would, until January 1, 2022,  establish the Denti-Cal Advisory Group in the department, as specified, for the purpose of studying the policies and priorities of Denti-Cal with the goal of raising the Denti-Cal utilization rate among  children and   children,  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.   evidence, and studying and evaluating how Denti-Cal program policies align with and support the implementation of the state oral health plan. The bill would prohibit the advisory group from taking a position on legislation.  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 study 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   14005.276  is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read: 14005.273.   14005.276.  (a) There is hereby established in the department the Denti-Cal Advisory Group. The duties of the advisory group shall include all of the following: (1) Studying 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.  (3) Studying and evaluating how Denti-Cal program policies align with and support the implementation of the state oral health plan.  (b) The advisory group shall consist of the following members: (1) The state dental director. (2)  Ten   Seven  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)   (C)  A representative of a  philanthropic  health care foundation.  (E)   (D)  A  licensed pediatrician who is qualified to assess impacts on the overall health of children.   representative of the California Society of Pediatric Dentistry.   (F) An expert on practices in the dental insurance or health insurance markets.   (G)   (E)  Two university professors  or educators  who are experts in dental practice or the dental services field.  (H)   (F)  A representative of a Denti-Cal health plan organization.  (I) A consumer advocate with experience in children's oral health.  (3)  Two members   A maternal and child health advocate,  appointed by the Senate Committee on  Rules that shall include the following:   Rules, with experience in the link between a mother's access to oral health care during pregnancy and postpartum and the child's improved access to oral health care.   (A) A licensed dentist.   (B) A licensed dental hygienist.  (4)  Two members   A consumer advocate,  appointed by the Speaker of the  Assembly that shall include the following:   Assembly, with experience in adult dental health.   (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   advisory group  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.  (f) The advisory group shall not take a position on legislation.   (g) The advisory group may report any of its findings to the Legislature.   (h) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2022, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2022, deletes or extends that date.