DENTAL HYGIENIST: UNDERSERVED AREA H.B. 4996: FLOOR ANALYSIS
House Bill 4996 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative Barb Vander Veen
House Committee: Health Policy
Senate Committee: Health Policy
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Public Health Code to include a school or nursing home as a "grantee health agency", and otherwise revise the criteria for the designation of a grantee health agency, in which a dental hygienist may perform services under the supervision of a dentist for an underserved population.
The Code allows a dental hygienist to perform services under the supervision of a dentist as part of a program for dentally underserved populations conducted by a local, State, or Federal grantee health agency for patients who are not assigned by a dentist. The Director of the Department of Community Health may designate an entity as a grantee health agency if the entity applies to the Department and meets criteria set forth in the Code.
Currently, to be designated as a grantee health agency, an entity must be a public or nonprofit agency administering a program of dental care to a dentally underserved population. Under the bill, the Director also could designate a school or nursing home that administers such a program.
The bill would delete a requirement that a designated agency obtain more than 50% of its total revenue from public or nonprofit organization sources. The bill also would delete a provision under which an agency may not be associated with a private dental practice or an incorporated dental service provider whose only source of State or Federal funding is reimbursement under the program for medical assistance administered by the Department of Human Services.
The bill would require an agency to employ or contract with at least one dentist or one dental hygienist, rather than both as currently required.
Under the bill, within 10 days after approving an application and designating a grantee health agency, the Department would have to notify the Michigan Board of Dentistry of the designation in writing or make the information electronically available.
MCL 333.16625 Legislative Analyst: Julie Koval
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would likely create a mild cost increase for the State. The Department of Community Health would experience a slight increase in administrative cost associated with the processing of additional applications from dental providers seeking to become designated as grantee health agencies.
Date Completed: 9-7-05 Fiscal Analyst: David Fosdick
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. hb4996/0506