HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-1           WHEREAS, Dental caries, one of the most prevalent diseases

 1-2     known, is often irreversible, and has significant medical and

 1-3     economic impact on millions of sufferers; and

 1-4           WHEREAS, In 1986,  dental illnesses accounted for 6.4 million

 1-5     days of bed disability, 14.3 million days of restricted activity,

 1-6     and 20.9 million lost work days, and, in 1992, expenditures for

 1-7     dental care in the United States totaled more than $38 billion; and

 1-8           WHEREAS, Fluoride is known to reduce tooth decay and its

 1-9     associated pain and suffering by as much as 40 percent, yet despite

1-10     its proven benefits, approximately 4,000,000 Texans are not served

1-11     by fluoridated water supplies, the most cost-effective means of

1-12     providing this trace element to the population; and

1-13           WHEREAS, Preliminary data comparing the Medicaid dental costs

1-14     for the three largest unfluoridated counties in Texas and

1-15     demographically similar fluoridated counties indicate that

1-16     fluoridation could save over $2,400,000 annually by reducing the

1-17     incidence of tooth and bone decay; based on estimates from the

1-18     Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the comparative annual

1-19     cost of fluoridating public water supplies in these counties would

1-20     be $504,000; and

1-21           WHEREAS, While the preliminary estimates are encouraging, the

1-22     State of Texas has a compelling need for more current and reliable

1-23     information regarding the potential benefits of fluoridation in

1-24     reducing expenditures incurred by Medicaid and other public health

 2-1     programs; now, therefore, be it

 2-2           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

 2-3     hereby direct the Texas Department of Health to conduct a study of

 2-4     the costs and benefits of dental disease prevention through

 2-5     fluoridation of public  water supplies; and, be it further

 2-6           RESOLVED, That this study include a review of Medicaid and

 2-7     other public health costs to the state to determine the extent to

 2-8     which differences in these costs in different regions of the state

 2-9     are attributable to the presence or absence of fluoridated public

2-10     water supplies; and, be it further

2-11           RESOLVED, That the Texas Department of Health submit a full

2-12     report of its findings and recommendations to the 76th Legislature

2-13     when that legislature convenes in January 1999; and, be it further

2-14           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official

2-15     copy of this resolution to the commissioner of health of the Texas

2-16     Department of Health.

                                                                      Davila

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.C.R. No. 145 was adopted by the House on

         April 25, 1997, by a non-record vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.C.R. No. 145 was adopted by the Senate on

         May 22, 1997, by a viva-voce vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor