Report Title:

QUEST; Restore Adult Dental Services

Description:

Appropriates funds to restore basic dental care for adults enrolled in QUEST and medicaid, including the aged, blind, and disabled. (SD1)

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

3033

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to dental care.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that oral health is no less important than any other aspect of a person's health. Oral health and other health conditions often go hand in hand. Poor oral health frequently contributes to other serious diseases. As a result, dentists are often the first to recognize symptoms of disease otherwise undetected by physicians.

The legislature further finds that dental services for indigent adults are far too limited to meet existing needs, especially of those adults on the neighbor islands, where there are disproportionate rates of poverty, unemployment, and QUEST enrollment. As of February 1, 1996, basic dental services for adults covered by the medicaid and QUEST medical assistance programs were discontinued. At present, only emergency dental services are covered for these clients. There are approximately eighty-five thousand four hundred adults covered by medicaid and the QUEST medical assistance program.

The legislature further finds that the department of health and some community health centers provide dental services for adults, but due to budgetary constraints, services are extremely limited, especially on neighbor islands. The result of these services limitations 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 enrolled in QUEST programs and individuals who are aged, blind, or disabled.

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 2004-2005, for basic dental services for adults covered by QUEST programs and individuals who are aged, blind, or disabled.

SECTION 3. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2004.