A publication of the Council on Dental Legislation and K-D-PAC

This Week in the Legislature

Both House and Senate committees have a full schedule of bills on their agenda for public hearing as the deadline for bills to be passed out of their “House of Origin” is February 24.  Actually, most committees plan to hold hearings on Monday and Tuesday next week and then the House and Senate will be on the floor debating bills full time the remainder of the week in order to meet February 24 deadline.  There are some exceptions, however, bills not passed by their “House of Origin” (House Bills passed by the House and Senate Bills passed by the Senate) will be considered “dead” for this year. 

OHK Advocacy Day February 21-23!

The KDA is teaming up with Oral Health Kansas (OHK) to co-sponsor their Advocacy Day on February 21-23.  In addition to the KDA, the Kansas Dental Hygienists’ Association is also a co-sponsor of the event.  Though there are Advocacy Day activities scheduled on Wednesday, February 21, the KDA especially encourages you to attend the Thursday evening, February 22 legislative reception and the Friday, February 23 Oral Health Summit at the Ramada Inn in Topeka.  The agenda for OHK Advocacy Day is as follows:

Wednesday, February 21  

12 – 1 p.m. - Advocacy training & Issues Update - Ramada Inn, Topeka

1 – 4 p.m. - Meetings with Legislators, Capitol Tours, Observe Health Committees - Kansas Statehouse, Topeka

Thursday, February 22      

7 - 9 p.m. - Legislative Reception for Oral Health Kansas Members & all Kansas Legislators and Staff - Ramada Inn, Topeka

Friday, February 23          

9 a.m. – 3 p.m. - State Oral Health Planning Summit - Sponsored By OHK & the Kansas State Office of Oral Health - Ramada Inn, Topeka

Board of Delegates to Meet

Board delegates and alternate delegates should mark the KDA Board of Delegates meeting on their calendars for Thursday, March 15.  The meeting will be held in conjunction with the UMKC’s Midwest Dental Conference in the Hyatt’s Empire C room starting at 1:30 P.M.  Look for other KDA Council/Committees to be held on Thursday, March 15 as well.

Dental Issues Status

The 2007 Legislative Session begins a new two-year session.  All Senate Bills (SB) will be new beginning with SB 1.  All House Bills (HB) will begin with HB 2001.

Dental Practice

SB 82 does not apply directly to dentistry, but the KDA is monitoring it very closely as it would allow would allow school of chiropractic medicine and osteopathy an exemption from the corporate practice prohibition in the healing arts act.  The bill was modified in the Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare and has been passed by the full Senate.  It is now assigned to the House Committee on Health and Human Services. 

SB 176 is the bill that amends the dental hygienist Extended Care Permit (ECP) provisions passed in 2002.  The bill reduces the amount clinical experience hours to qualify for an ECP I from 1,800 to 1,200 hours; creates a method for previously qualified dental hygienists’ to qualify if they have been in a non-clinical or not practicing in the previous five years; modifies the practice settings to better identify underserved populations, and; allows ECP dental hygienists to apply topical anesthetic.  The KDA Board of Delegates reviewed and approved the proposed bill at its November meeting.  The Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare amended the bill at the suggestion of the KDA to allow dental hygienists to apply topical anesthesia under general supervision.  It was then passed by the full Senate and is now assigned to the House Committee on Health and Human Services.

HB 2214 would authorize the Kansas Dental Board (KDB) to deny, revoke suspend or limit a dentist’s sedation permit.  This is current practice, however, the KDB’s recent review of the sedation and anesthesia rules and regulations brought into question its authority to do so.  A hearing is scheduled for Monday, February 20 in the House Committee on Health and Human Services.

HB 2215 would establish a maximum fee of $200 for the Kansas Dental Board (KDB) to charge for certain permits.  The KDB currently charges licensee for sedation and other permits, however, HB 2215 will validate that practice.  A hearing is scheduled for Monday, February 20 in the House Committee on Health and Human Services.

HB 2216 is the Dental Board’s bill that will change the biennial licensure schedule of dentists and dental hygienists.  Currently, all dentists renew their license in odd years and dental hygienists renew in even years.  The new method will mix dentist and dental hygienist licensure renewal based on the licensee’s license number.  As a result, about half of the dental hygienists and dentists that renew in 2008 and 2009 respectively will have a one-time one year renewal. A hearing is scheduled for Monday, February 20 in the House Committee on Health and Human Services.

HB 2417 is a bill introduced by KDHA that would change the makeup of the dental board to four dentists, four dental hygienists and one public member.  Currently there are six dentists, two dental hygienists and one public member.  No hearing is scheduled in the House Committee on Health and Human Services. 

Mercury

SB 1 is similar to bills that the KDA has monitored in past years that would prohibit mercury-based thimerosol in vaccines.  Unlike past bills, SB 1 provides that the Secretary of Health may exempt a vaccine containing thimerosol if there is a vaccine shortage, epidemic, bioterrorist incident, etc.  SB 1 was introduced by Senate minority leader Anthony Hensley and Senator Dennis Wilson.  No hearing is scheduled in the Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare.

Insurance

SB 175 would require all insurance policies to contain a provision to allow for the assignment of benefits directly to a provider of the care. A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, February 20 in the Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Insurance. 

SB 273 would add dentistry to the “healthcare prompt payment act.”  This would require a dental insurance carrier to pay a clean dental claim within 30 days of receipt.  A hearing is scheduled on Monday, February 19 in the Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Insurance.

HB 2272 is the “health care price transparency act.”  It would require each health insurance carrier and health provider to publicly disclose their rates for certain and common health or medical services.  Dentistry is not included in the bill.  The bill has been assigned to the House Committee on Insurance.

HB 2273 is similar to SB 175 as it would require all insurance policies to contain a provision to allow for the assignment of benefits directly to a provider of the care. The bill has been assigned to the House Committee on Insurance.

Public Health

SB 37 would prohibit tobacco smoking in all indoor public places except a “cigar-tobacco bar.”  The Senate Committee on Judiciary has advanced the bill to the full Senate without a recommendation. 

SB 170 would establish criteria for the types of beverages that are available in elementary and junior high/middles schools.  Permissible beverages are defined….not to include carbonated and high sugar drinks.  The bill is assigned to the Senate Committee on Education where the KDA testified during a hearing this past week.  Favorable Committee action is not expected as much of the hearing centered around healthy school guidelines advocated by the State Board of Education.

SB 302 would create the “controlled substance monitoring task force” that would implement a program to monitor controlled substances.  The task force would be made up of 11 members including a person appointed by the Kansas Dental Association.  The bill is assigned to the Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare.

HB 2243 would prohibit the use of tobacco within or on the property of a medical care facility (this does not include a dental office).  The bill is assigned to the House Committee on Health and Human Services.

Charitable Work

HB 2102 would allow healthcare professionals who donate their time to indigent patients at significantly reduced or no cost to apply through a nonprofit community service organization to apply for a tax credit at the rate of $50/hour.  The tax credit would cap at $3,000/year/ taxpayer.  The KDA presented testimony in the House Committee on Taxation, but no action has been taken at this time.   

Government Administrative

SB 16 would authorize the Joint Committee on Children’s Issues to introduce legislation.  This Committee has been in existence since 1999 usually meets during the Legislative Interim.  This bill would provide the Committee with more power to carry outs it legislative charge.  SB 16 is assigned to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means where a hearing has been held.

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