The 2010 Legislative Session promises to be another interesting one. The process began on January 11 with Senate and House committees meeting in Tallahassee. Most of the FDA's bills were filed early and will be heard in committee meetings before Session officially convenes March 2. Legislative Contact Dentist (LCD) visits were scheduled in January and February so LCDs could have influence on legislators prior to committee decisions.
The following are bills the FDA supports:
- HB291/SB302 prohibits maximum allowable charges for non-covered services. This bill will prohibit artificial price controls by big insurance companies which limit treatment available to patients and ration care. Further, this insurance company practice mixes an insurance product with a discount medical plan that current law prohibits.
- HB537/SB970 focuses on a dental workforce survey and HCCEP "fix". This bill makes the dental workforce survey part of licensure to gather information that addresses access to care issues in Florida and allows for a public records exemption for survey results. It also makes it clear that the Health Care Clinic Establishment Permit created in 2008 is not required for dentists to order prescription drugs, but is optional.
As it has for many years, the FDA supports maintaining the Adult Medicaid Dental Program; increasing Medicaid Dental Provider reimbursement fees; funding the dental student loan repayment program passed in 1992, but unfunded since 1996; and funding the foreign-trained dentist educational program requested by the University of Florida College of Dentistry.
The FDA strongly opposes SB490, which will expand the scope of practice by dental hygienists in "health access settings" by creating public health supervision. This bill includes school-based prevention programs and allows hygienists to perform services without supervision, prior authorization or presence of a dentist.
For more information on how these and more issues are unfolding during this 2010 Legislative Session, please look at the FDA's Capital Report, an up to date newsletter distributed by the FDA's Governmental Affairs Office to keep you informed.