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SPONSOR: |
Begaye |
DATE TYPED: |
|
HB |
482 |
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SHORT TITLE: |
Expand Access to Primary & Dental Health
Care |
SB |
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ANALYST: |
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APPROPRIATION
Appropriation
Contained |
Estimated
Additional Impact |
Recurring or
Non-Rec |
Fund Affected |
||
FY03 |
FY04 |
FY03 |
FY04 |
|
|
|
$1,200.0 |
|
|
Recurring
|
GF |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Parenthesis
( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
REVENUE
Estimated Revenue |
Subsequent Years Impact |
Recurring or
Non-Rec |
Fund Affected |
|
FY03 |
FY04 |
|
|
|
|
Significant |
|
Recurring |
Federal |
|
|
|
|
|
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)
Duplicates SB 173
Relates to HB 144, SB 133
Responses
Received From
Department
of Health (DOH)
Health
Policy Commission (HPC)
SUMMARY
Synopsis
of Bill
House
Bill appropriates $1.2 million from the general fund to the Department of
Health (DOH) in fiscal year 2004 to contract with rural primary health care and
dental clinics to leverage federal dollars at newly established or expanded
clinic sites.
Significant
Issues
The proposed appropriation in HB 482 would permit leveraging of additional federal grant funds under the President’s Community Health Center Initiative to meet the critical primary medical and dental care needs of underserved New Mexicans.
There is a federal initiative to double the number of
community based care centers in the nation.
According to the Primary Care Association,
17,000 New Mexican will be served if HB482 is enacted.
PERFORMANCE
MEASURANCE
Performance
Measure (II.B.2.1): Number of
underserved communities with community-based primary care centers.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of
$1,200.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any
unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY 04 shall revert
to the general fund.
The
President has established a Community Health Center Initiative for the nation
aiming to double the number of new or expanded community-based primary care
centers nationwide by 2006. All new centers receiving this funding are required
to provide both medical and dental services to their patients. Primary care
centers in
During
the next 3 years it is anticipated that at least 5-10 applications could be
developed each year for new or expanded health centers in
ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS
HB
482 would have some administrative impact upon the DOH. The appropriation
requires additional procurement, contracting and monitoring activities to
existing workloads under the Rural Primary Health Care Act (RPHCA) Program. The
DOH could administer this additional appropriation with current staff.
DUPLICATION, RELATIONSHIP
Duplicates:
SB 173
Relates
to:
House Bill 144 (HB 144) and Senate Bill 133
(SB 133) which would appropriate $1,500,000 of the Tobacco Settlement Program
Fund to the Department of Health in Fiscal Year 2004 to support capital
infrastructure at rural health clinics.
HB
482 would support operation of some new or expanded rural health clinics that
would also be eligible for coordinated capital funding from HB 144 and SB 133.
SB408 Rural Portable Dental Clinics for
Children--provides $100,000 for dental care for rural low-income children.
HB450 Community Dental Health
Services--appropriates funding to provide statewide community dental health
care services.
DOH
specifies that HB 482 is directed to contract with “rural primary health care
and dental clinics to leverage federal dollars at newly established or expanded
clinic sites.” The appropriation is likely intended for community-based primary
care centers eligible for support under the President’s Community Health Center
Initiative as well as the RPHCA Program. It may be advisable to modify the
eligibility language in HB 482 to more clearly reflect this intention.
OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
Despite
efforts over the years (and some progress), there are still significant gaps in
access to dental and primary care services for many New Mexicans who reside in
underserved areas of the state. The Federal government has designated all or
part of 28
Special
populations, such as patients with special needs (i.e., developmental
disabilities, traumatic brain injury, etc.), would also benefit from the
services provided by this appropriation. Such patients often require
practitioners with specialized skills.
According to
· There are 135 medical, dental and
school based primary care centers that serve over 250,000 New Mexicans in 95
underserved communities in 31 counties.
· In calendar year 2001, 49% of
operating revenues for primary care clinics were generated from patient
revenues, 15% from State Rural Primary Health Care Act (RPHCA) funding, 26%
from federal funds. Local funds and
other sources made up the difference.
· 78% of community primary health clinics patients' income is 200% of the federal poverty level or lower. Charges for health care services are set on a sliding scale basis according to income.
According to the HPC’s Quick Facts 2003
(available at hpc.state.nm.us):
· As of December 2001,
AMENDMENTS
On
Page 1, lines 18 and 19, replace “rural primary health care and dental clinics”
with "… to contract with eligible primary care centers providing
medical and dental care as defined in the Rural Primary Health Care Act, 1978
NMSA 24-1A-1"…
BD/njw