Bill Text: CA AB318 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 318 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Medi-Cal: teledentistry.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-02-03 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB318 Detail]

Download: California-2013-AB318-Amended.html

BILL NUMBER: AB 318	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 19, 2013

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Logue

                        FEBRUARY 12, 2013

   An act  to add Section 14132.726 to the Welfare and
Institutions Code,  relating to  dental care 
 Medi-   Cal  .



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 318, as amended, Logue.  Dental care: telehealth.
  Medi-Cal: teledentistry.  
   Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is
administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under
which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services,
including certain dental services, as specified. Existing law
provides that, to the extent that federal financial participation is
available, face-to-face contact between a health care provider and a
patient is not required under the Medi-Cal program for
"teleophthalmology and teledermatology by store and forward," as
defined to mean the asynchronous transmission of medical information
to be reviewed at a later time by a licensed physician or
optometrist, as specified, at a distant site. 
   This bill would enact similar provisions relating to the use of
teledentistry, as defined, under the Medi-Cal program. The bill would
provide that, to the extent that federal financial participation is
available, face-to-face contact between a health care provider and a
patient shall not be required under the Medi-Cal program for
"teledentistry by store and forward." The bill would define that term
to mean an asynchronous transmission of dental information to be
reviewed at a later time by a licensed dentist at a distant site,
where the dentist at the distant site reviews the dental information
without the patient being present in real time, as defined and as
specified. The bill would also provide that dentist participation in
services provided at an intermittent clinic, as defined, through the
use of telehealth, as defined, shall be considered a billable
encounter under Medi-Cal. The bill would also require, on or before
January 1, 2017, the department to report to the Legislature the
number and type of services provided, and the payments made related
to the application of teledentistry, as specified.  
   Existing law, the Dental Practice Act, provides for the licensure
and regulation by the Dental Board of California of those engaged in
the practice of dentistry. Existing law provides that a person
practices dentistry if the person, among other things, manages or
conducts as manager, proprietor, conductor, lessor, or otherwise, in
any place where dental operations are performed.  
   This bill would declare the intent of the Legislature to enact
legislation that would promote the advancement of telehealth in
dental care. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no
  yes  . State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.    Section 14132.726 is added to the 
 Welfare and Institutions Code   , to read:  
   14132.726.  (a) To the extent that federal financial participation
is available, face-to-face contact between a health care provider
and a patient shall not be required under the Medi-Cal program for
teledentistry by store and forward. Services appropriately provided
through the store and forward process are subject to billing and
reimbursement policies developed by the department.
   (b) A patient receiving teledentistry by store and forward shall
be notified of the right to receive interactive communication with
the distant dentist, and shall receive an interactive communication
with the distant dentist, upon request. If requested, communication
with the distant dentist may occur either at the time of the
consultation, or within 30 days of the patient's notification of the
results of the consultation.
   (c) Dentist participation in services provided at an intermittent
clinic, as defined in Section 1206 of the Health and Safety Code,
through the use of telehealth, as defined in Section 2290.5 of the
Business and Professions Code, shall be considered a billable
encounter under Medi-Cal.
   (d) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of
Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the
department may implement, interpret, and make specific this section
by means of all-county letters, provider bulletins, and similar
instructions.
   (e) On or before January 1, 2017, the department shall report to
the Legislature the number and type of services provided, and the
payments made related to the application of store and forward
teledentistry as provided, under this section as a Medi-Cal benefit.
   (f) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

   (1) "Asynchronous store and forward" means the transmission of a
patient's dental information from an originating site to the health
care provider at a distant site without the presence of the patient.
   (2) "Distant site" means a site where a health care provider who
provides health care services is located while providing these
services via a telecommunications system.
   (3) "Health care provider" means a person who is licensed under
Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1600) of Division 2 of the
Business and Professions Code.
   (4) "Originating site" means a site where a patient is located at
the time health care services are provided via a telecommunications
system or where the asynchronous store and forward service
originates.
   (5) "Synchronous interaction" means a real-time interaction
between a patient and a health care provider located at a distant
site.
   (6) "Teledentistry" means the mode of delivering dental health
care services and public dental health via information and
communication technologies to facilitate the diagnosis, consultation,
treatment, education, care management, and self-management of a
patient's dental health care while the patient is at the originating
site and the dental health care provider is at a distant site.
Teledentistry includes synchronous interactions and asynchronous
store and forward transfers.
   (7) "Teledentistry by store and forward" means an asynchronous
transmission of dental information to be reviewed at a later time by
a licensed dentist at a distant site, where the dentist at the
distant site reviews the dental information without the patient being
present in real time.  
  SECTION 1.    It is the intent of the Legislature
to enact legislation to promote the advancement of telehealth in
dental care.