By Solis, Chavez, Raymond, Pickett, Flores            H.B. No. 2614
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a dental services pilot program in border-region
 1-3     counties.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  (a)  The Texas Department of Health shall develop
 1-6     and implement a dental care pilot program to provide dental
 1-7     services to indigent children who are residents of this state in
 1-8     border-region counties selected by the department.
 1-9           (b)  The Texas Department of Health shall implement the pilot
1-10     program to:
1-11                 (1)  improve the dental health of indigent children in
1-12     the selected counties; and
1-13                 (2)  ensure certain children in selected counties
1-14     receive dental services.
1-15           (c)  The Texas Board of Health shall establish eligibility
1-16     criteria for the pilot program.  The criteria must require that
1-17     program participants:
1-18                 (1)  live within the identified region;
1-19                 (2)  have a family income at or below 185 percent of
1-20     the federal poverty level; and
1-21                 (3)  provide a parent's or guardian's written consent
1-22     to receipt of dental service.
1-23           (d)  The department shall determine the dental services to be
1-24     provided to program participants, which may include:
 2-1                 (1)  screening for various dental conditions; and
 2-2                 (2)  filling cavities, cleaning teeth, and other dental
 2-3     services.
 2-4           (e)  In designing and implementing the program, the Texas
 2-5     Department of Health shall ensure that:
 2-6                 (1)  a program participant receives, at no cost to the
 2-7     participant, dental services provided through the pilot program;
 2-8     and
 2-9                 (2)  the quality of dental services provided to a
2-10     program participant is frequently monitored and evaluated.
2-11           (f)  As soon as practicable after the effective date of this
2-12     Act, the Texas Board of Health shall establish eligibility criteria
2-13     as required by Subsection (c) of this section and shall establish
2-14     any other procedures or requirements necessary to implement this
2-15     Act.  The requirements of Chapter 2001, Government Code, relating
2-16     to rulemaking do not apply to an action of the board under this
2-17     subsection.
2-18           (g)  Not later than December 1, 2002, the Texas Department of
2-19     Health shall submit a report to the legislature regarding the
2-20     program that includes:
2-21                 (1)  an analysis of:
2-22                       (A)  the program's cost-effectiveness; and
2-23                       (B)  the program's effect on the quality of
2-24     dental care received by program participants; and
2-25                 (2)  recommendations regarding elimination,
2-26     continuation, or expansion of the program.
2-27           (h)  This section expires September 1, 2003.
 3-1           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.