Bill Summary for Bill Number Update from the Colorado Dental Association

Date: 09/14/2009

Final
Update from the Colorado Dental Association

HEALTH CARE TASK FORCE

Votes: View-->	Action Taken:
<none>	<none>

09:15 AM -- Update from the Colorado Dental Association

Charlie Hebler, Dr. Jeffrey Hurst, former president of the Colorado Dental Association, and Jennifer Goodrum, Director of Government Relations, Colorado Dental Association, introduced themselves. Ms. Hebler described the recent event that the Colorado Mission of Mercy (COMOM) and the dental association put on, which was a 2-day, 100 chair, dental clinic that provided free dental care to about 1,600 individuals in Colorado. Ms. Hebler provided a handout to the task force describing COMOM (Attachment F). Dr. Hurst stated that all the equipment and the time was donated. Ms. Goodrum relayed several stories about individuals seeking care.

09:28 AM

Dr. Hurst stated that he recently spoke with Representative Diana DeGette and she indicated to Dr. Hurst that she plans to introduce an amendment to the national health care reform legislation that will increase the reimbursement rates to dentists. He stated the number of dentists who provide care to Medicaid participants has significantly decreased. He stated that 18 counties in Colorado have no Medicaid provider for dentistry. He stated that eight counties only have one Medicaid provider. He pointed out that many individuals who end up in the hospital for a myriad of reasons could have avoided hospitalization with proper dental care.

09:39 AM

Dr. Eric Van Zytveld, Board Member, Colorado Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped, spoke to the issues that many handicapped individuals face in seeking dental care. He spoke to the low reimbursement rates to providers. He spoke to the cut in funding to the "dental house calls" program. Dr. Van Zytvell asked the task force to help restore the funding for this program. Marion Blado, Volunteer Coordinator, Rowan Community, stated she coordinates care for the residents of a long-term care facility. She spoke to the services that the Colorado Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped Mobile Dentistry Service provides to the residents.


BILL:	Update from the Colorado Dental Association
TIME:	02:34:52 PM
MOVED:	Massey
MOTION:	Interview Sgt. Joel, Staberg, Weissmann.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Apuan	Absent
	Foster
	Harvey	Absent
	Kerr J.
	Lundberg	Absent
	Massey
	McCann
	Schwartz
	Frangas
	Boyd

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 3 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection