Spokane democratic state representative Marcus Riccelli is hopeful that funding for some statewide improvements to dental health will make though the latest special legislative session.
While the funding of public education and dealing with the Supreme Court’s McCleary decision tops the agenda for this newest special session, there are efforts to increase funding for oral health at several clinics across the state that offer services for low income and Medicaid patients.
Representative Marcus Riccelli says here in Spokane, the adult dental Medicaid utilization rate is just 23 percent, because of a lack of access to affordable care. He says of the 95 thousand enrolled in Medicaid, only about 22 thousand have used their dental benefits.
But Riccelli expects help is on the way, as both houses have earmarked money in the capital budget to be used in different programs. Riccelli said, “Community health clinics, to residency programs, and it looks like both the house and senate now will near 16 to 17 million dollars for infrastructure. So it’s something I’ve been proud to work on and I think it will improve our infrastructure and our state’s safety net.”
Besides providing funding to local and regional clinics, like one at the East Central Community Center, and one in Spokane Valley, the money would also help with two residency programs, one in Spokane that would serve an estimated 12 thousand people per year:
“That included allowing the folks to do the residencies in lieu of taking a dental exam, so they get to do the program, serve our most vulnerable, and so they don’t have to take the dental exam because they’re doing all these key procedures”, said Riccelli.
Riccelli says the 17 million dollars is contained in the capital budget which will be voted on after the operating budget, which will contain whatever increases the legislature can come up with to meet the McCleary decision requirements for education funding. He says he is very hopeful at this stage that it will pass.
