Bill Text: NJ SR74 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Memorializes Congress and President to enact "Coordination of Pro Bono Medically Recommended Dental Care Act."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-09-20 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee [SR74 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-SR74-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator BARBARA BUONO
District 18 (Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Memorializes Congress and President to enact "Coordination of Pro Bono Medically Recommended Dental Care Act."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Senate Resolution memorializing the Congress and President of the United States to enact S.1878 or H.R.4091, designated as the "Coordination of Pro Bono Medically Recommended Dental Care Act."
Whereas, Legislation has been introduced in the 112th Congress of the United States, in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, as S.1878 and H.R.4091, respectively, the "Coordination of Pro Bono Medically Recommended Dental Care Act"; and
Whereas, This legislation creates a grant program, authorized at $2,000,000 per year for five years, which will support the coordination of medically recommended dental care for low-income individuals, with the dental care to be provided by volunteer dentists at no cost to patients who have medical conditions such as diabetes, cancer, autoimmune disease, or kidney disease, or who need heart or joint replacements or transplants; and
Whereas, According to the American Dental Association, it has been estimated that the $10 million investment provided by this legislation will return roughly $65 million in medically necessary, pro bono dental treatment and will provide help to 25,000 Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries; and
Whereas, Untreated periodontal disease in people with diabetes makes it difficult to control blood glucose, and uncontrolled diabetes can lead to kidney failure and cardiovascular disease; and
Whereas, End stage renal disease patients have critical diet and nutritional needs, and poor dental health can compromise their medical outcomes; and
Whereas, Transplant patients must have all active dental disease aggressively treated before transplantation, because post-operative immunosuppression decreases a patient's ability to resist systemic infection; and
Whereas, Untreated dental disease can aggravate and worsen rheumatoid arthritis; and
Whereas, This legislation is needed because Medicare, which does not cover routine dental services, will not pay for the coordination of medically recommended dental care, thereby preventing many underserved patients from getting needed care or compromising an existing chronic condition; and
Whereas, The following organizations have endorsed this legislation: AARP; the Academy of General Dentistry; the Alliance of the American Dental Association; the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology; the American Academy of Periodontology; the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons; the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons; the American Association of Public Health Dentistry; the American Association of Women Dentists; the American College of Prosthodontists; the American College of Rheumatology; the American Dental Association; the American Dental Education Association; the American Diabetes Association; the American Kidney Fund; the American Student Dental Association; the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors; the Delta Dental Plans Association; the Dental Lifeline Network; the Hispanic Dental Association; the Lupus Foundation of America; the Medical Education Institute, Inc.; the Medicare Rights Center; the National Dental Association; the National Kidney Foundation; the National Multiple Sclerosis Society; the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention; the Renal Physicians Association; the Renal Support Network; the Society for Transplant Social Workers; and The National Forum of ESRD (End Stage Renal Disease) Networks; and
Whereas, Enactment of the "Coordination of Pro Bono Medically Recommended Dental Care Act" is manifestly in the public interest because of the important public health interest that it serves and the resulting savings that will result for the Medicare and Medicaid programs nationwide; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House respectfully memorializes the Congress and President of the United States to enact S.1878 or H.R.4091, designated as the "Coordination of Pro Bono Medically Recommended Dental Care Act."
2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and attested by the Secretary of the Senate, shall be transmitted to the presiding officers of the United States Congress, each of the members of the Congress elected from the State of New Jersey, and the President of the United States.
STATEMENT
This resolution respectfully memorializes the Congress and President of the United States to enact S.1878 or H.R.4091, designated as the "Coordination of Pro Bono Medically Recommended Dental Care Act."
This federal legislation creates a grant program, authorized at $2,000,000 per year for five years, which will support the coordination of medically recommended dental care for low-income individuals, with the dental care to be provided by volunteer dentists at no cost to patients who have medical conditions such as diabetes, cancer, autoimmune disease, or kidney disease, or who need heart or joint replacements or transplants.
