Florida Senate - 2019                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. PCS (192902) for SB 7078
       
       
       
       
       
       
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                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                   Comm: WD            .                                
                  04/17/2019           .                                
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       The Committee on Appropriations (Flores) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Before line 130
    4  insert:
    5         Section 1. It is the intent of the Legislature to promote
    6  programs and initiatives that help make available preventive and
    7  educational dental services for the citizens of the state, as
    8  well as provide quality dental treatment services. The
    9  geographic characteristics among the citizens of the state are
   10  distinctive and vary from region to region, with such citizens
   11  having unique needs regarding access to dental care. The
   12  Legislature recognizes that maintaining good oral health is
   13  integral to the overall health status of individuals and that
   14  the good health of the residents of this state is an important
   15  contributing factor in economic development. Better health,
   16  including better oral health, increases workplace productivity,
   17  reduces the burden of health care costs, and improves the
   18  cognitive development of children, resulting in a reduction of
   19  missed school days.
   20         Section 2. Section 381.4019, Florida Statutes, is created
   21  to read:
   22         381.4019Dental Student Loan Repayment Program.—The
   23  Legislature shall establish the Dental Student Loan Repayment
   24  Program to promote access to dental care by supporting qualified
   25  dentists who treat medically underserved populations in dental
   26  health professional shortage areas or medically underserved
   27  areas.
   28         (1)As used in this section, the term:
   29         (a)“Dental health professional shortage area” means a
   30  geographic area designated as such by the Health Resources and
   31  Services Administration of the United States Department of
   32  Health and Human Services.
   33         (b)“Department” means the Department of Health.
   34         (c)“Loan program” means the Dental Student Loan Repayment
   35  Program.
   36         (d)“Medically underserved area” means a geographic area,
   37  an area having a special population, or a facility which is
   38  designated by department rule as a health professional shortage
   39  area as defined by federal regulation and which has a shortage
   40  of dental health professionals who serve Medicaid recipients and
   41  other low-income patients.
   42         (e)“Public health program” means a county health
   43  department, the Children’s Medical Services program, a federally
   44  funded community health center, a federally funded migrant
   45  health center, or other publicly funded or nonprofit health care
   46  program designated by the department.
   47         (2)The department shall establish a dental student loan
   48  repayment program to benefit Florida-licensed dentists who
   49  demonstrate, as required by department rule, active employment
   50  in a public health program that serves Medicaid recipients and
   51  other low-income patients and is located in a dental health
   52  professional shortage area or a medically underserved area.
   53         (3)The department shall award funds from the loan program
   54  to repay the student loans of a dentist who meets the
   55  requirements of subsection (2).
   56         (a)An award may not exceed $50,000 per year per eligible
   57  dentist.
   58         (b)Only loans to pay the costs of tuition, books, dental
   59  equipment and supplies, uniforms, and living expenses may be
   60  covered.
   61         (c)All repayments shall be contingent upon continued proof
   62  of eligibility and shall be made directly to the holder of the
   63  loan. The state shall bear no responsibility for the collection
   64  of any interest charges or other remaining balances.
   65         (d)A dentist is eligible to receive funds under the loan
   66  program for at least 1 year, up to a maximum of 5 years.
   67         (e)The department shall limit the number of new dentists
   68  participating in the loan program to not more than 10 per fiscal
   69  year.
   70         (4)A dentist is no longer eligible to receive funds under
   71  the loan program if the dentist:
   72         (a)Is no longer employed by a public health program that
   73  meets the requirements of subsection (2).
   74         (b)Ceases to participate in the Florida Medicaid program.
   75         (c)Has disciplinary action taken against his or her
   76  license by the Board of Dentistry for a violation of s. 466.028.
   77         (5)The department shall adopt rules to administer the loan
   78  program.
   79         (6) Implementation of the loan program is subject to
   80  legislative appropriation.
   81         Section 3. Section 381.40195, Florida Statutes, is created
   82  to read:
   83         381.40195Donated Dental Services Program.—
   84         (1)This act may be cited as the “Donated Dental Services
   85  Act.”
   86         (2)As used in this section, the term:
   87         (a)“Department” means the Department of Health.
   88         (b)“Program” means the Donated Dental Services Program as
   89  established pursuant to subsection (3).
   90         (3)The department shall establish the Donated Dental
   91  Services Program for the purpose of providing comprehensive
   92  dental care through a network of volunteer dentists and other
   93  dental providers to needy, disabled, elderly, and medically
   94  compromised individuals who cannot afford necessary treatment
   95  but are ineligible for public assistance. An eligible individual
   96  may receive treatment in a volunteer dentist’s or participating
   97  dental provider’s private office or at any other suitable
   98  location. An eligible individual is not required to pay any fee
   99  or cost associated with the treatment he or she receives.
  100         (4)The department shall implement and administer the
  101  program. The department shall contract with a nonprofit
  102  organization that has experience in providing similar services
  103  or administering similar programs. The contract must specify the
  104  responsibilities of the nonprofit organization, which may
  105  include, but are not limited to:
  106         (a)Maintaining a network of volunteer dentists and other
  107  dental providers, including, but not limited to, dental
  108  specialists and dental laboratories, to provide comprehensive
  109  dental services to eligible individuals.
  110         (b)Maintaining a system to refer eligible individuals to
  111  the appropriate volunteer dentist or participating dental
  112  provider.
  113         (c)Developing a public awareness and marketing campaign to
  114  promote the program and educate eligible individuals about its
  115  availability and services.
  116         (d)Providing the necessary administrative and technical
  117  support to administer the program.
  118         (e)Submitting an annual report to the department which
  119  must include, at a minimum:
  120         1.Financial data relating to administering the program.
  121         2.Demographic data and other information relating to the
  122  eligible individuals who are referred to and receive treatment
  123  through the program.
  124         3.Demographic data and other information relating to the
  125  volunteer dentists and participating dental providers who
  126  provide dental services through the program.
  127         4.Any other data or information that the department may
  128  require.
  129         (f)Performing any other program-related duties and
  130  responsibilities as required by the department.
  131         (5)The department shall adopt rules to administer the
  132  program.
  133         (6) Implementation of the program is subject to legislative
  134  appropriation.
  135  
  136  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
  137  And the title is amended as follows:
  138         Delete line 2
  139  and insert:
  140         An act relating to health care; providing legislative
  141         intent; creating s. 381.4019, F.S.; establishing the
  142         Dental Student Loan Repayment Program to support
  143         dentists who practice in public health programs
  144         located in certain underserved areas; providing
  145         definitions; requiring the Department of Health to
  146         establish a dental student loan repayment program for
  147         specified purposes; providing for the award of funds;
  148         providing the maximum number of years funds may be
  149         awarded; providing eligibility requirements; requiring
  150         the department to adopt rules; specifying that
  151         implementation of the program is subject to
  152         legislative appropriation; creating s. 381.40195,
  153         F.S.; providing a short title; providing definitions;
  154         requiring the Department of Health to establish the
  155         Donated Dental Services Program to provide
  156         comprehensive dental care to certain eligible
  157         individuals; requiring the department to contract with
  158         a nonprofit organization to implement and administer
  159         the program; specifying minimum contractual
  160         responsibilities; requiring the department to adopt
  161         rules; specifying that implementation of the program
  162         is subject to legislative appropriation; amending s.
  163         394.4615,