SM 96 — EXPAND DENTAL CARE TO CHILDREN

SENATE MEMORIAL 96 54TH LEGISLATURE- STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSIO, 2019 INTRODUCED BY Gerald Ortiz y Pino 6 8 10 A MEMORIAL REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF ORAL HEALTH OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY WAYS TO EXPAND MEDICAID COVERAGE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DENTAL CARE TO CHILDREN.

157 WHEREAS, oral health is just as important as physical and mental health;

and e t 17 WHEREAS, tooth decay, or cavities, is one of the most w l n d 18 common chronic conditions of childhood in the United States and = = 19 a l New Mexico;

and i a e r 20 WHEREAS, the percentage of children and adolescents aged a t m m 21 five to nineteen years with untreated tooth decay is twice as d r e 22 high for those children and adolescents from low-income c e s k 23 families, indicating that the current oral health care system e a n b 24 does not adequately address their needs;

and u [ WHEREAS, the medical assistance division of the human .212159.1 services department offers dental health care coverage though a medicaid program or a waiver;

and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be requested SM 96 Page 1 to study:

and e e 17 E.

ways to drive down the number and cost of e e n d 18 medicaid acute dental visits over time;

and = = l ] 19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be composed of a l r i 20 representatives from the medical assistance division of the t e a t human services department, the New Mexico dental association, mrepresentatives mof 21the edental dhealth rinsurance eindustry, 22 the New Mexico oral health advisory committee, the New Mexico c e r c 23 dental hygienists' association, the New Mexico pediatric e a n b 24 society, the department of dental medicine at the university of u [ New Mexico, health action New Mexico, the New Mexico oral .212159.1 - 2 - health coalition and the Indian health service Albuquerque area;

and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be SM 96 Page 2 transmitted to the secretary of health, the director of the medical assistance division of the human services department, the president of the New Mexico dental association, the New Mexico oral health advisory committee, the president of the New Mexico dental hygienists' association, the president of the New Mexico pediatric society, the president of the university of New Mexico, the board president of health action New Mexico, the chair of the New Mexico oral health coalition and the director of the Indian health service Albuquerque area.

eSM e96 17Page - 3 -25 e e n d 18 = = l ] 19 a l r i 20 t e a t m m 21 e d r e 22 c e r c 23 e a n b 24 u [ .212159.1