(a) On or before January 1, 2022, and upon appropriation from the Legislature, the Office of Oral Health in the State Department of Public Health shall provide to the Legislature a report and analysis that addresses all of the following issues related to access to dental anesthesia care:
(1) An analysis of the costs of anesthesia and a discussion of payer sources for anesthesia services, including, but not limited to, an analysis of any difference in patient charges, patient payments, and public and private third-party reimbursement between both of the following:
(A) Dental anesthesia provided by a single dentist or anesthesia provider.
(B) Dental anesthesia provided by a dentist and a separate anesthesia provider.
(2) An analysis of the overall capacity of the state’s dental anesthesia delivery systems, including, but not limited to, a separate analysis of capacity for care provided by a single dental surgeon or anesthesia provider and dental anesthesia provided by a dental surgeon and a separate anesthesia provider.
(3) An analysis of barriers to access of needed dental anesthesia care including, but not limited to, cost, delivery system capacity, and any other barriers identified in the current system. The analysis shall also include information regarding if provider requirements were to change and, if appropriate, recommendations to address such barriers to improve access.
(4) To the extent data is available, an analysis of disparities to access of needed dental anesthesia care by racial or ethnic background, insurance status, geographic area, or other relevant categories.
(5) The role of pediatric dental anesthesia in meeting the state’s overall dental health goals as expressed in the California Oral Health Plan created by the State Department of Public Health.
(b) The Office of Oral Health may use a contract, grant, or other means to engage an agency appropriate for the type of analysis needed to create the report in subdivision (a), and public or private funds, upon appropriation, may be used. The report shall be made public on the State Department of Public Health’s Internet Web site.
(c) (1) A report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(2) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section is repealed on January 1, 2025.
(Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 929, Sec. 2. (SB 501) Effective January 1, 2019. Repealed as of January 1, 2025, by its own provisions.)