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SPONSOR: |
Coll |
DATE TYPED: |
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HB |
896/aHPAC |
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SHORT TITLE: |
Dental Health Medicaid Coverage |
SB |
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ANALYST: |
Weber |
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APPROPRIATION
Appropriation
Contained |
Estimated
Additional Impact |
Recurring or
Non-Rec |
Fund Affected |
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FY03 |
FY04 |
FY03 |
FY04 |
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See
Narrative |
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(Parenthesis
( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Duplicates SB 818
Responses Received From
Human Services Department
SUMMARY
Synopsis of HCPAC Amendment
The House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee
adds the following amendment to House Bill 896.
On
page 6, between lines 8 and 9, insert the following new section to read:
"Section 4. A new section of the Nonprofit Health Care Plan Law, Section
59A-47-28.4 NMSA 1978, is enacted to read:
"59A-47-28.4. [NEW MATERIAL] COVERAGE FOR COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE DENTAL
HYGIENISTS.--An individual or group subscriber contract delivered or issued for
delivery in New Mexico that, on a prepaid, service or indemnity basis provides
for treatment of persons for the prevention, cure or correction of any illness
or physical or mental condition shall include coverage for the services of a
dental hygienist in a collaborative practice pursuant to the Dental Health Care
Act."".,
Original Synopsis of Original Bill
Section 1 of House Bill 896 (HB
896) would change the reference in Section
Sections 2 and 3 of HB 896 amends the Insurance Code to reference Articles in Chapter 61 according to their short titles rather than by their numbers, except for certified nurse practitioners and osteopathic medicine and surgery for which numbers are retained.
Significant Issues
Currently, Medicaid does not cover the services of doctors of oriental medicine or chiropractors, but does cover services provided by dental hygienists in collaborative practice.
In the opinion of the Human Services legal department, even though Section 3 provides that a Health Maintenance Organization may not exclude the listed licensed individual providers willing to meet their conditions, the provision would not necessarily apply to the SALUD! providers within the Medicaid managed care program.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
HB
896 as drafted does not mandate the provision of medical
assistance by chiropractic physicians because the word "may" is
permissive, not mandatory.
If
Medicaid were mandated to cover services provider by chiropractors, the program
would incur an estimated $6,400.0 in total additional costs. Of that amount, approximately
$1,600.0 would be from the state general fund.
MW/yr:njw