Bill Text: PA HB1046 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishing the Dentists for Medical Assistance Patients Program in the Department of Public Welfare.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 19-5)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-03-23 - Referred to HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES [HB1046 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HB1046-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 1217
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1046 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY SAYLOR, BAKER, BOYD, BROWN, CREIGHTON, CUTLER, EVERETT, HENNESSEY, HUTCHINSON, KORTZ, MURT, M. O'BRIEN, PICKETT, QUINN, RAPP, REICHLEY, SIPTROTH, SOLOBAY, SWANGER, J. TAYLOR, VULAKOVICH AND WATSON, MARCH 23, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, MARCH 23, 2009
AN ACT
Establishing the Dentists for Medical Assistance Patients
Program in the Department of Public Welfare.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Dentists for
Medical Assistance Patients Act.
Section 2. Purpose.
The purpose of this act is to help meet the inadequacies for
improving care to those on medical assistance, to bring dentists
into communities where there is a need and to provide an
incentive to students of this Commonwealth to pursue higher
education and training in dentistry in order to maintain the
quality of health care services in this Commonwealth.
Section 3. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Dentist." A doctor of dental surgery or doctor of dental
medicine who is licensed within this Commonwealth to practice
dentistry.
"Department." The Department of Public Welfare of the
Commonwealth.
"Program." The Dentists for Medical Assistance Patients
Program established under this act.
Section 4. Program.
(a) Establishment.--The Dentists for Medical Assistance
Patients Program is established within the department.
(b) Administration.--The Commonwealth shall administer the
program on a Statewide basis and utilize funds in the program to
encourage recently graduated dentists to provide care to
patients on medical assistance in each of the counties based on
need. The Commonwealth shall provide an annual supplemental
salary of $80,000 to recently graduated dentists within three
years from the date of graduation who dedicate 50% of their
practice to caring for patients on medical assistance. Dentists
within six years from the date of graduation shall receive an
annual supplemental salary of $30,000 if they dedicate 20% of
their practice to serving patients on medical assistance.
(c) Applications.--The department shall promulgate
guidelines for the selection of candidates to the program based
on the following criteria:
(1) Demonstrated need.
(2) Willingness to continue practicing and serving
patients on medical assistance in this Commonwealth after
expiration of the program.
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(d) Eligibility.--Dentists must be within three years from
the date of graduation from an accredited dental school to
receive an annual supplemental salary of $80,000 or within six
years from the date of graduation from an accredited dental
school to receive an annual supplemental salary of $30,000 from
the Commonwealth. Participating dentists shall not be eligible
to receive reimbursements from the Commonwealth for serving
patients on medical assistance beyond this program.
(e) Selection.--The department shall give preference to
dentists in the following order:
(1) Recipients of funds who, by contract with the
department, agree to practice dentistry in an area of this
Commonwealth that is reported by the department as an area
where a shortage of dentists who serve patients on medical
assistance exists.
(2) Commonwealth natives completing training in this
Commonwealth.
(3) Out-of-State candidates completing training in this
Commonwealth.
(4) Commonwealth natives completing out-of-State
training.
(5) Out-of-State candidates completing out-of-State
training.
(f) Verification.--The department shall monitor and verify a
dentist's fulfillment of all requirements under this act.
Section 5. Contract.
(a) General rule.--Dentists receiving funds shall enter into
a contract with the department. The contract shall include, but
not be limited to, the following terms and conditions:
(1) The dentist shall agree to provide care to the
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established percentage of patients on medical assistance in
relation to the total number of patients served.
(2) The dentist shall permit the department to monitor
compliance with the percentage requirement.
(3) The contract shall be renewable on an annual basis
upon certification by the department that the dentist has
complied with the terms of the contract. Contracts may be
renewable for a total of six years.
(4) The contract shall terminate if the dentist dies, is
not able to perform the duties of a dentist or is not able to
maintain the dentist's license to practice dentistry due to
physical or mental disability.
(5) If a dentist's license to practice is suspended or
revoked, the department shall have the authority to terminate
the dentist's participation in the program and demand
repayment of all funds rendered to date.
(6) A dentist who fails to begin or complete the
obligations contracted for shall reimburse the Commonwealth
all amounts received under this act and interest thereon as
determined by the department. Both the dentist and the
department shall make every effort to resolve conflicts in
order to prevent a breach of contract.
(b) Contract enforcement.--The department shall have the
authority to seek garnishment of wages for the collection of
damages provided for under subsection (a)(6).
Section 6. Funding.
The department is authorized to use funds specifically
appropriated by the General Assembly and any funds,
contributions or payments which may be available to the
department by another Commonwealth agency, the Federal
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Government or any public or private source for the purpose of
implementing this section.
Section 7. Reporting requirements.
The department shall submit annually to the chairman and
minority chairman of the Public Health and Welfare Committee of
the Senate and the chairman and minority chairman of the Health
and Human Services Committee of the House of Representatives a
report that provides details of the department's expenditures,
including administrative expenditures, under this section.
Section 8. Regulations.
The department shall adopt rules and regulations to carry out
the provisions of this act.
Section 20. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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