Medi-Cal: Denti-Cal Advisory Group.

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which basic health care services are provided to qualified low-income persons. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law provides coverage for certain dental services, as specified, to Medi-Cal beneficiaries through either the Medi-Cal fee-for-service delivery system, which is also referred to as Denti-Cal, or the Medi-Cal dental managed care delivery system. Existing law requires the department to report to the Legislature, by October 1, 2017, on progress towards the goal of raising the Denti-Cal utilization rate among eligible child beneficiaries to 60% or greater and identify a date by which the department projects this utilization goal will be met. This bill, until January 1, 2023, would establish the Medi-Cal Dental Advisory Group in the department, as specified, for the purpose of studying the structure, policies, and priorities of the Medi-Cal dental fee-for-service program and the Medi-Cal dental managed care program with the goal of increasing dental utilization rates among eligible beneficiaries, as specified, and improving the oral health of the Medi-Cal eligible population, providing assistance and advice to the department, the Legislature, and the Governor to ensure that the Denti-Cal program is based on sound clinical evidence and scientific evidence, and studying and evaluating how the Medi-Cal dental fee-for-service and the Medi-Cal dental managed care program policies align with and support the implementation of the state oral health plan. The bill would prohibit the advisory group from taking a position on legislation. The bill would require the advisory group to report any of its findings to the Legislature, at least annually, and would require the department to post those findings on its Internet Web site. The bill would make related legislative findings and declarations.