Bill > H1032

This bill directs the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) to create a pilot program aimed at better managing early childhood caries, which refers to tooth decay in young children, for MassHealth patients, the state's Medicaid program. EOHHS will collaborate with researchers from the Early Childhood Caries (ECC) Management Demonstration Project at Boston Children's Hospital and other sites to determine criteria for identifying children under five at high risk for this condition and to establish what treatments, such as more frequent check-ups, fluoride applications, and family education on self-care, should be covered by MassHealth for effective management. The program is to be launched with selected providers, including those in both rural and urban areas, by July 1, 2016, and these providers will report on costs, cavity rates, pain levels, and the need for surgical procedures, with a final report due to legislative committees by February 1, 2019.