NOTE: As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used in any other situation.





F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T





SPONSOR   Abeyta           DATE TYPED 01/24/99 HB        52       



SHORT TITLE   Rural Dental Services               SB                 



                                                   ANALYST  Burkhart       





APPROPRIATION



Estimated

Appropriation Contained   Additional Impact  Recurring Fund

FY99 FY2000 FY99 FY2000 or Non-Rec Affected



$       .  $  1,000.0 $       .  $        .   Rec   GF      



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



REVENUE



   Estimated Revenue    Subsequent Recurring Fund

FY99 FY2000 Years Impact or Non-Rec Affected



$      0.0 $      0.0 $       .                                



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)



Duplicates/Conflicts with/Companion to/Relates to





SOURCES OF INFORMATION



Department of Health, Health Policy Commission



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill



House Bill 52 appropriates one million dollars from the general fund to the Department of Health for expenditure in FY2000 to provide dental services in rural New Mexico pursuant to the Rural Primary Care Act. Any unexpended balances remaining at the end of the fiscal year revert to the general fund.





Significant Issues



Provision of dental services in rural areas of New Mexico is difficult because of the lack of providers and the rates of reimbursement under medicaid which are significantly less than prevailing rates paid by the private sector. The infusion of these monies is an attempt to increase the provision of these services by allowing the payment of services to increase and to provide monies for non-insured patients.





FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



The Department of Health will administer these monies in much the same manner it does now with the Rural Primary Care Act monies. Distribution of the money will be made in accordance with the Act.





ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS



Administration of these monies by the Department of Health should not cause any additional burden as they presently distribute monies in much the same manner.





CONFLICT/DUPLICATION/COMPANIONSHIP/RELATIONSHIP



None





TECHNICAL ISSUES



Care should be taken to insure there are dental providers available in areas of the state where these monies are targeted. It does no good to award monies if there are no providers to deliver the services.





OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES



None





POSSIBLE QUESTIONS



1. How was the 1 million dollar amount determined?



2. When was the last assessment of need done for dental services in rural New Mexico?



3. Are private sector dental services considered in determining how the monies are allocated?



MB/njw