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PUBLIC LAWS OF MAINE
First Regular Session of the 119th

PART MM

     Sec. MM-1. 22 MRSA c. 416-A is enacted to read:

CHAPTER 416-A

DENTAL SERVICES

§2127. Oral health care

     1. Access to quality oral health services. The department shall develop access to quality oral health services for low-income residents with emphasis on underserved areas or populations by encouraging the development or expansion of community-operated, nonprofit oral health care programs that serve persons who are uninsured or underinsured for oral health care and that serve persons whose oral health care is covered by Medicaid.

     2. Development of oral health care programs. The department shall use funds appropriated for the purposes of this chapter, any available funds from Medicaid or other resources to provide funding for the start-up or expansion of public or nonprofit oral health care programs; to subsidize the provision of oral health care to persons without insurance coverage for that care in accordance with paragraph B; and to provide oral health case management and community oral health education designed to encourage good oral hygiene and to prevent oral diseases and tooth decay. Any oral health care program receiving funds under this chapter must:

A program may not receive funds under this chapter to serve more than 3 contiguous dental care analysis areas as defined by the Bureau of Health in the department.

     3. Discrimination prohibited. An oral health care program receiving funds under this chapter may not discriminate among patients within its service area based upon payment source except as specifically authorized in subsection 2, paragraph B.

     4. Vouchers for private dental services. An oral health program that receives funds under this chapter may establish a voucher system for the purpose of reimbursing private dental providers providing services to patients of the program in accordance with the provisions of this subsection.

An oral health care program may place reasonable restrictions on a voucher system it establishes if those restrictions are consistent with the purposes of this chapter pursuant to subsection 1.

Even though an oral health care program receives funds under this chapter for the purpose of serving part of its service area through a voucher system, this does not prevent the application of another organization seeking funds under this chapter to provide direct program services to the residents of that area.

     5. Encouraging community support. The department shall require any entity seeking funds for the start-up or expansion of oral health programs under this chapter to raise matching funds, including in-kind support, sufficient to demonstrate community support.

     6. Coordination with Medicaid and the Cub Care program. The department shall coordinate assistance under this chapter with Medicaid and the Cub Care program under Title 22, section 3174-T in a manner most likely to obtain and maximize federal matching funds.

     7. Rules. The department shall adopt rules, which are routine technical rules, pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A, to implement this chapter.

     Sec. MM-2. Evaluation and report. By February 1, 2001, the Department of Human Services shall evaluate the status of access to oral health care for uninsured people in this State and those receiving Medicaid and shall report its findings to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters. The report must include recommendations on the method that would be the most cost-effective for this State to meet the oral health needs of low-income people.

     Sec. MM-3. Allocation. The following funds are allocated from Other Special Revenue funds to carry out the purposes of this Part.

2000-01

HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF

Bureau of Health

Bureau of Health

Bureau of Health

Bureau of Medical Services

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES ____________
TOTAL $1,000,000

SECTION ____________
TOTAL ALLOCATIONS $1,000,000

     Sec. MM-4. Allocation. The following funds are allocated from the Federal Expenditures Fund to carry out the purposes of this Part.

2000-01

HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF

Bureau of Medical Services

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES ____________
TOTAL $98,017

SECTION ____________
TOTAL ALLOCATIONS $98,017

     Sec. MM-5. Contingent effective date. This Part takes effect on July 1, 2000 only if sufficient funds are available in the Fund for a Healthy Maine.

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