HCR 23 Summary

• Urges the Governor and Director of Human Services to reinstate restorative and preventative dental coverage for adult Medicaid beneficiaries using existing budget appropriations from the General Appropriations Act of 2017.

• Identifies Hawaii's oral health crisis documented by Department of Health findings: only 52% of low-income adults see a dentist annually (vs. 82% of high-income adults), 51% of low-income adults lost teeth due to disease, and emergency room visits for preventable dental problems increased 67% from 2006 to 2012, costing $8.5 million.

• Notes the Department of Human Services requested $4,704,480 in general funds and $7,066,720 in federal funds for fiscal year 2019 to restore adult dental benefits, representing less than one-half of one percent of the $944,108,598 already appropriated for Medicaid.

• Requests the Director of Human Services submit a report at least 20 days before the 2019 regular legislative session detailing the number of adult Medicaid recipients receiving dental benefits and projections of eligible beneficiaries during fiscal biennium 2019-2020.

• Cites Hawaii's estimated general fund surplus of $654.9 million to $829.1 million for fiscal year 2019, making the $11.7 million total cost (1.4-1.7% of surplus) fiscally feasible.