5077-S AMS MCCO BEZA 265

SSB 5077 - S AMD 306

By Senators McCoy, Keiser

NOT ADOPTED 04/03/2015

    On page 175, line 8, increase the General Fund--State (FY 2016) appropriation by $25,000

    On page 175, line 9, increase the General Fund--State (FY 2016) appropriation by $25,000

    Adjust the total appropriation accordingly.

    On page 177, after line 9, insert the following:

    "(13) $25,000 of the general fund-state appropriation for fiscal year 2016 and $25,000 of the general fund-state appropriation for fiscal year 2017 are provided solely to the University of Washington school of medicine dental health aid therapist program to provide technical assistance, in collaboration with the governor's office of Indian affairs, to federally recognized Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations desiring to implement a dental health aid therapist program in Washington.  A dental health aid therapist program implemented pursuant to this subsection shall comply with the following requirements:

    (a) A federally recognized Indian tribe, tribal organization, or urban Indian organization is authorized to train, supervise, employ, or contract with or for the services of a dental health aide, including a dental health aide therapist, only in practice settings operated by an Indian health program or an urban Indian organization;

    (b) Dental health aides, including dental health aide therapists, employed or contracted to perform services under this section:

    (i) must be certified by either a federal community health aide program certification board or by an Indian tribe that has adopted equivalent or higher standards than those imposed by a federal community health aide program certification board regarding curriculum, training, scope of practice, continuing education, and supervision requirements;

    (ii) may perform only those procedures permitted under standards adopted by a federal community health aide program certification board or an Indian tribe that has adopted equivalent or higher standards than those imposed by a federal community health aide program certification board regarding scope of practice, continuing education, and supervision requirements; and

    (iii) are subject to any service limitations provided by the Indian health care improvement act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 1616l), and to any applicable limitations written by the supervising dentist of the dental health aide in standing orders.

    (2) For purposes of this section, the terms "Indian tribe," "Indian health program," "tribal organization," and "urban Indian organization" shall have the meaning given them in the Indian health care improvement act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 1603).

    (3) The health care authority is directed to coordinate with the centers for medicare and medicaid services to ensure the dental health aide services authorized in this section are eligible for maximum federal funding of up to one hundred percent. It is the intent of the legislature to ensure dental health aide services, including those of dental health aide therapists, by Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations are eligible for medicaid funding to promote increased dental care access for persons served in these practice settings in accord with the Indian health care improvement act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 1616l)."

EFFECT:

· Provides funding to the School of Medicine Dental Health Aid Therapist program at the UW in collaboration with the Governor's Office to provide technical assistance to federally recognized Indian Tribe, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations desiring to implement a dental health aid therapist program in Washington.

· Specifies the requirements of a dental health aid therapist program.

· Directs the Health Care Authority to coordinate with federal CMS to ensure dental health aid services are eligible for the maximum federal funding of up to 100 percent.

FISCAL IMPACT: $50,000 General Fund-State increase

--- END ---