Florida Senate - 2019                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 716
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì740542ÃÎ740542                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  04/09/2019           .                                
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       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         381.4019Dental 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         381.40195Donated 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.