DENTAL BENEFITS.

SEC. 501. DENTAL BENEFITS.(a) Coverage.—123 STAT. 85(1) In general.—Section 2103 (42 U.S.C. 1397cc) is amended—(A) in subsection (a)—(i) in the matter before paragraph (1), by striking “subsection (c)(5)” and inserting “paragraphs (5) and (7) of subsection (c)”; and(ii) in paragraph (1), by inserting “at least” after “that is”; and(B) in subsection (c)—(i) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (7); and(ii) by inserting after paragraph (4), the following:“(5) Dental benefits.—“(A) In general.—The child health assistance provided to a targeted low-income child shall include coverage of dental services necessary to prevent disease and promote oral health, restore oral structures to health and function, and treat emergency conditions.“(B) Permitting use of dental benchmark plans by certain states.—A State may elect to meet the requirement of subparagraph (A) through dental coverage that is equivalent to a benchmark dental benefit package described in subparagraph (C).“(C) Benchmark dental benefit packages.—The benchmark dental benefit packages are as follows:“(i) FEHBP children’s dental coverage.—A dental benefits plan under chapter 89A of title 5, United States Code, that has been selected most frequently by employees seeking dependent coverage, among such plans that provide such dependent coverage, in either of the previous 2 plan years.“(ii) State employee dependent dental coverage.—A dental benefits plan that is offered and generally available to State employees in the State involved and that has been selected most frequently by employees seeking dependent coverage, among such plans that provide such dependent coverage, in either of the previous 2 plan years.“(iii) Coverage offered through commercial dental plan.—A dental benefits plan that has the largest insured commercial, non-medicaid enrollment of dependent covered lives of such plans that is offered in the State involved.”.(2) Assuring access to care.—Section 2102(a)(7)(B) (42 U.S.C. 1397bb(c)(2)) is amended by inserting “and services described in section 2103(c)(5)” after “emergency services”.(3) Effective date.—The amendments made by paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply to coverage of items and services furnished on or after October 1, 2009.(b) State Option To Provide Dental-Only Supplemental Coverage.—(1) In general.—Section 2110(b) (42 U.S.C. 1397jj(b)) is amended—(A) in paragraph (1)(C), by inserting “, subject to paragraph (5),” after “under title XIX or”; and(B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:123 STAT. 86 “(5) Option for states with a separate chip program to provide dental-only supplemental coverage.—“(A) In general.—Subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), in the case of any child who is enrolled in a group health plan or health insurance coverage offered through an employer who would, but for the application of paragraph (1)(C), satisfy the requirements for being a targeted low-income child under a State child health plan that is implemented under this title, a State may waive the application of such paragraph to the child in order to provide—“(i) dental coverage consistent with the requirements of subsection (c)(5) of section 2103; or“(ii) cost-sharing protection for dental coverage consistent with such requirements and the requirements of subsection (e)(3)(B) of such section.“(B) Limitation.—A State may limit the application of a waiver of paragraph (1)(C) to children whose family income does not exceed a level specified by the State, so long as the level so specified does not exceed the maximum income level otherwise established for other children under the State child health plan.“(C) Conditions.—A State may not offer dental-only supplemental coverage under this paragraph unless the State satisfies the following conditions:“(i) Income eligibility.—The State child health plan under this title—“(I) has the highest income eligibility standard permitted under this title (or a waiver) as of January 1, 2009;“(II) does not limit the acceptance of applications for children or impose any numerical limitation, waiting list, or similar limitation on the eligibility of such children for child health assistance under such State plan; and“(III) provides benefits to all children in the State who apply for and meet eligibility standards.“(ii) No more favorable treatment.—The State child health plan may not provide more favorable dental coverage or cost-sharing protection for dental coverage to children provided dental-only supplemental coverage under this paragraph than the dental coverage and cost-sharing protection for dental coverage provided to targeted low-income children who are eligible for the full range of child health assistance provided under the State child health plan.”.(2) State option to waive waiting period.—Section 2102(b)(1)(B) (42 U.S.C. 1397bb(b)(1)(B)), as amended by section 111(b)(2), is amended—(A) in clause (ii), by striking “and” at the end;(B) in clause (iii), by striking the period and inserting “; and”; and(C) by adding at the end the following new clause:“(iv) at State option, may not apply a waiting period in the case of a child provided dental-only supplemental coverage under section 2110(b)(5).”.123 STAT. 87(c) Dental Education for Parents of Newborns.—The Secretary shall develop and implement, through entities that fund or provide perinatal care services to targeted low-income children under a State child health plan under title XXI of the Social Security Act, a program to deliver oral health educational materials that inform new parents about risks for, and prevention of, early childhood caries and the need for a dental visit within their newborn’s first year of life.(d) Provision of Dental Services Through FQHCs.—(1) Medicaid.—Section 1902(a) (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)) is amended—(A) by striking “and” at the end of paragraph (70);(B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (71) and inserting “; and”; and(C) by inserting after paragraph (71) the following new paragraph:“(72) provide that the State will not prevent a Federally-qualified health center from entering into contractual relationships with private practice dental providers in the provision of Federally-qualified health center services.”.(2) CHIP.—Section 2107(e)(1) (42 U.S.C. 1397g(e)(1)), as amended by subsections (a)(2) and (d)(2) of section 203, is amended by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new subparagraph (and redesignating the succeeding subparagraphs accordingly):“(C) Section 1902(a)(72) (relating to limiting FQHC contracting for provision of dental services).”.(3) Effective date.—The amendments made by this subsection shall take effect on January 1, 2009.(e) Reporting Information on Dental Health.—(1) Medicaid.—Section 1902(a)(43)(D)(iii) (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(43)(D)(iii)) is amended by inserting “and other information relating to the provision of dental services to such children described in section 2108(e)” after “receiving dental services,”.(2) CHIP.—Section 2108 (42 U.S.C. 1397hh) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:“(e) Information on Dental Care for Children.—“(1) In general.—Each annual report under subsection (a) shall include the following information with respect to care and services described in section 1905(r)(3) provided to targeted low-income children enrolled in the State child health plan under this title at any time during the year involved:“(A) The number of enrolled children by age grouping used for reporting purposes under section 1902(a)(43).“(B) For children within each such age grouping, information of the type contained in questions 12(a)–(c) of CMS Form 416 (that consists of the number of enrolled targeted low income children who receive any, preventive, or restorative dental care under the State plan).“(C) For the age grouping that includes children 8 years of age, the number of such children who have received a protective sealant on at least one permanent molar tooth.“(2) Inclusion of information on enrollees in managed care plans.—The information under paragraph (1) shall include information on children who are enrolled in managed care plans and other private health plans and contracts with 123 STAT. 88 such plans under this title shall provide for the reporting of such information by such plans to the State.”.(3) Effective date.—The amendments made by this subsection shall be effective for annual reports submitted for years beginning after date of enactment.(f) Improved Accessibility of Dental Provider Information to Enrollees Under Medicaid and CHIP.—The Secretary shall—(1) work with States, pediatric dentists, and other dental providers (including providers that are, or are affiliated with, a school of dentistry) to include, not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, on the Insure Kids Now website (http://www.insurekidsnow.gov/) and hotline (1–877–KIDS–NOW) (or on any successor websites or hotlines) a current and accurate list of all such dentists and providers within each State that provide dental services to children enrolled in the State plan (or waiver) under Medicaid or the State child health plan (or waiver) under CHIP, and shall ensure that such list is updated at least quarterly; and(2) work with States to include, not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, a description of the dental services provided under each State plan (or waiver) under Medicaid and each State child health plan (or waiver) under CHIP on such Insure Kids Now website, and shall ensure that such list is updated at least annually.(g) Inclusion of Status of Efforts To Improve Dental Care in Reports on the Quality of Children’s Health Care Under Medicaid and CHIP.—Section 1139A(a), as added by section 401(a), is amended—(1) in paragraph (3)(B)(ii), by inserting “and, with respect to dental care, conditions requiring the restoration of teeth, relief of pain and infection, and maintenance of dental health” after “chronic conditions”; and(2) in paragraph (6)(A)(ii), by inserting “dental care,” after “preventive health services,”.(h) GAO Study and Report.—(1) Study.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall provide for a study that examines—(A) access to dental services by children in underserved areas;(B) children’s access to oral health care, including preventive and restorative services, under Medicaid and CHIP, including—(i) the extent to which dental providers are willing to treat children eligible for such programs;(ii) information on such children’s access to networks of care, including such networks that serve special needs children; and(iii) geographic availability of oral health care, including preventive and restorative services, under such programs; and(C) the feasibility and appropriateness of using qualified mid-level dental health providers, in coordination with dentists, to improve access for children to oral health services and public health overall.(2) Report.—Not later than 18 months year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on the study conducted under 123 STAT. 89 paragraph (1). The report shall include recommendations for such Federal and State legislative and administrative changes as the Comptroller General determines are necessary to address any barriers to access to oral health care, including preventive and restorative services, under Medicaid and CHIP that may exist.