ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
Expands available medical
coverage through the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to
include annual dental examinations and cleaning.
According to an April 2000
report by the General Accounting Office (GAO), dental disease is a chronic
problem among low-income and vulnerable populations. Federal Medicaid programs require states to offer dental coverage
for children but each state determines adult dental service coverage. According to the GAO, 27 states offer
preventative services through their adult Medicaid programs and 42 states offer
emergency dental services. The GAO
report also found that adults living at or below the federal poverty level are
less than half as likely to have seen a dentist in the preceding year as adults
earning more than four times the poverty level.
Currently, Arizona law
requires AHCCCS to cover emergency dental care and extractions for eligible
adult AHCCCS members. S.B. 1245 expands
AHCCCS adult dental coverage to include annual dental examinations and
cleaning.
According to Joint
Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) staff, S.B. 1245 has a state general fund
cost of $3.9 million in FY 2001-2002 and $4.4 million in FY 2002-2003. Additionally, JLBC staff estimates S.B. 1245
will increase expenditures from the Arizona tobacco tax litigation settlement
fund by $1.2 million in FY 2001-2002 and $1.3 million in FY 2002-2003. S.B. 1245 does not contain an appropriation.
1. Expands available adult dental coverage under AHCCCS to include annual dental examinations and cleaning.
2. Provides for a general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Staff
February 23, 2001