While negotiations over the still-unresolved New Hampshire state operating budget have claimed most of the headlines in the past several weeks, other important issues have been acted on by the NH House and Senate, and some have been signed into law. The four bills described below will have an impact on the dental hygiene profession in our state, and each will play a role in improving access to oral healthcare for all NH citizens.
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HB 1537, allowing primary care providers to provide preventive oral health services to children between 0 and 3 years of age under the state Medicaid program, has been signed into law (Ch. 76, Laws of 2010) and takes effect on July 18th. This bill directs the department of health and human services to seek funding that will enable primary care providers to deliver preventive oral health services to very young children. NHDHA applauds the hard work and dedication of the Oral Health Coalition's Angela Boyle and Rep. Rich DiPentima, and our own Ginny Barunas, in getting this enacted. Bravo! -
HB 1593, establishing a board of dental hygienists, was NHDHA's priority for the 2010 session and was sent to interim study early on in the session by the House Executive Departments and Administration Committee. While the interim study report is not due until October, the six-member licensing subcommittee of that Committee recently met and voted 6 to 0 to recommend that new legislation establishing a board of dental hygienists be introduced for the 2011 session. We thank all the House ED&A Committee members, especially Reps. Houde-Quimby, McGuire, Beck, Ryder, Flurey and Stella Scamman, for their work on this issue! The process will start over again this fall with a new bill, and the endorsement of some key legislators. We will miss the leadership of Rep. Charlotte Houde-Quimby, vice-chair of the ED&A Committee, and Reps. Ryder and Scamman. -
HB 1304, extending legislative study committees and commissions, is an omnibus bill that will extend the 2009 task force on access to dental care created by 2009's HB 301. NHDHA was a member of the HB 301 task force, which was unable to complete all its work by the November 1, 2009 deadline. The study group will have a new reporting date of November 1, 2010. We look forward to again working with policymakers and other healthcare stakeholders on this critical issue. -
SB 499, relative to administration support of certain professional regulatory boards by the department of health and human services, has been signed into law (Ch. 118, Laws of 2010). This bill will consolidate some administrative functions of boards that are overseen by or attached to the department of health and human services. The board of dental examiners, which currently licenses and regulates dental hygienists, is included in this effort to streamline and make more transparent the work of licensing boards.
As the 2009-2010 legislative session ends - hopefully with tomorrow's vote on the budget bill - NHDHA prepares for the next set of challenges. We will continue to provide updates to you over the summer, on what we learn at ADHA's upcoming annual session, and on news related to preventive oral health care, access, workforce, and other issues. We continue to build our network and encourage you to share this report and our contact information with others. Thank you, and enjoy the season! Thank you!
Susanne Kuehl, President
New Hampshire Dental Hygienists' Association |
