Florida Senate - 2019 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. SB 716
Ì740542ÃÎ740542
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
.
.
.
.
.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services
(Hooper) recommended the following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete lines 42 - 150
4 and insert:
5 381.4019 Dental Student Loan Repayment Program.—The
6 Legislature shall establish the Dental Student Loan Repayment
7 Program to promote access to dental care by supporting qualified
8 dentists who treat medically underserved populations in dental
9 health professional shortage areas or medically underserved
10 areas.
11 (1) As used in this section, the term:
12 (a) “Dental health professional shortage area” means a
13 geographic area designated as such by the Health Resources and
14 Services Administration of the United States Department of
15 Health and Human Services.
16 (b) “Department” means the Department of Health.
17 (c) “Loan program” means the Dental Student Loan Repayment
18 Program.
19 (d) “Medically underserved area” means a geographic area,
20 an area having a special population, or a facility which is
21 designated by department rule as a health professional shortage
22 area as defined by federal regulation and which has a shortage
23 of dental health professionals who serve Medicaid recipients and
24 other low-income patients.
25 (e) “Public health program” means a county health
26 department, the Children’s Medical Services program, a federally
27 funded community health center, a federally funded migrant
28 health center, or other publicly funded or nonprofit health care
29 program designated by the department.
30 (2) The department shall establish a dental student loan
31 repayment program to benefit Florida-licensed dentists who
32 demonstrate, as required by department rule, active employment
33 in a public health program that serves Medicaid recipients and
34 other low-income patients and is located in a dental health
35 professional shortage area or a medically underserved area.
36 (3) The department shall award funds from the loan program
37 to repay the student loans of a dentist who meets the
38 requirements of subsection (2).
39 (a) An award may not exceed $50,000 per year per eligible
40 dentist.
41 (b) Only loans to pay the costs of tuition, books, dental
42 equipment and supplies, uniforms, and living expenses may be
43 covered.
44 (c) All repayments shall be contingent upon continued proof
45 of eligibility and shall be made directly to the holder of the
46 loan. The state shall bear no responsibility for the collection
47 of any interest charges or other remaining balances.
48 (d) A dentist is eligible to receive funds under the loan
49 program for at least 1 year, up to a maximum of 5 years.
50 (e) The department shall limit the number of new dentists
51 participating in the loan program to not more than 10 per fiscal
52 year.
53 (4) A dentist is no longer eligible to receive funds under
54 the loan program if the dentist:
55 (a) Is no longer employed by a public health program that
56 meets the requirements of subsection (2).
57 (b) Ceases to participate in the Florida Medicaid program.
58 (c) Has disciplinary action taken against his or her
59 license by the Board of Dentistry for a violation of s. 466.028.
60 (5) The department shall adopt rules to administer the loan
61 program.
62 (6) Implementation of the loan program is subject to
63 legislative appropriation.
64 Section 3. Section 381.40195, Florida Statutes, is created
65 to read:
66 381.40195 Donated Dental Services Program.—
67 (1) This act may be cited as the “Donated Dental Services
68 Act.”
69 (2) As used in this section, the term:
70 (a) “Department” means the Department of Health.
71 (b) “Program” means the Donated Dental Services Program as
72 established pursuant to subsection (3).
73 (3) The department shall establish the Donated Dental
74 Services Program for the purpose of providing comprehensive
75 dental care through a network of volunteer dentists and other
76 dental providers to needy, disabled, elderly, and medically
77 compromised individuals who cannot afford necessary treatment
78 but are ineligible for public assistance. An eligible individual
79 may receive treatment in a volunteer dentist’s or participating
80 dental provider’s private office or at any other suitable
81 location. An eligible individual is not required to pay any fee
82 or cost associated with the treatment he or she receives.
83 (4) The department shall implement and administer the
84 program. The department shall contract with a nonprofit
85 organization that has experience in providing similar services
86 or administering similar programs. The contract must specify the
87 responsibilities of the nonprofit organization, which may
88 include, but are not limited to:
89 (a) Maintaining a network of volunteer dentists and other
90 dental providers, including, but not limited to, dental
91 specialists and dental laboratories, to provide comprehensive
92 dental services to eligible individuals.
93 (b) Maintaining a system to refer eligible individuals to
94 the appropriate volunteer dentist or participating dental
95 provider.
96 (c) Developing a public awareness and marketing campaign to
97 promote the program and educate eligible individuals about its
98 availability and services.
99 (d) Providing the necessary administrative and technical
100 support to administer the program.
101 (e) Submitting an annual report to the department which
102 must include, at a minimum:
103 1. Financial data relating to administering the program.
104 2. Demographic data and other information relating to the
105 eligible individuals who are referred to and receive treatment
106 through the program.
107 3. Demographic data and other information relating to the
108 volunteer dentists and participating dental providers who
109 provide dental services through the program.
110 4. Any other data or information that the department may
111 require.
112 (f) Performing any other program-related duties and
113 responsibilities as required by the department.
114 (5) The department shall adopt rules to administer the
115 program.
116 (6) Implementation of the program is subject to legislative
117 appropriation.
118
119 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
120 And the title is amended as follows:
121 Delete lines 13 - 21
122 and insert:
123 specifying that implementation of the program is
124 subject to legislative appropriation; creating s.
125 381.40195, F.S.; providing a short title; providing
126 definitions; requiring the Department of Health to
127 establish the Donated Dental Services Program to
128 provide comprehensive dental care to certain eligible
129 individuals; requiring the department to contract with
130 a nonprofit organization to implement and administer
131 the program; specifying minimum contractual
132 responsibilities; requiring the department to adopt
133 rules; specifying that implementation of the program
134 is subject to legislative appropriation; providing an
135 effective date.