Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Louise F. Rogers, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Chester J. Kunnappilly, MD, Chief Executive Officer, San Mateo Medical Center
Subject: Agreement with Sonrisas Dental Health, Inc. to Provide Dental Health Services
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Adopt a resolution authorizing an agreement with Sonrisas Dental Health, Inc. to provide dental health services for the term of September 1, 2022, through August 31, 2025, in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000.
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BACKGROUND:
San Mateo Medical Center (SMMC) provides dental services to the County’s safety net population, some of whom have insurance coverage, such as Medicare and Medi-Cal, and some of whom are uninsured. SMMC’s clinics provide approximately 20,000 dental visits annually. However, there are approximately 3,000 individuals currently waiting for a dental appointment and an undetermined number of individuals seeking dental care who are not yet on the waitlist.
DISCUSSION:
With limited access to Medi-Cal dentists in the community, more patients are seeking dental services at SMMC, and the increased demand for appointments has resulted in a waitlist. Sonrisas Dental Health, Inc. (SDH) currently provides dental care to a patient population similar to SMMC’s. Your Board previously approved a contract with SDH for the period September 1, 2019, through August 31, 2022, to support SMMC’s reduction of the current dental waitlist for Medi-Cal patients. Additionally, SDH partners with SMMC’s Healthcare for the Homeless/Farmworkers program to provide dental services through SDH community dental centers. In light of SDH’s experience serving the County’s safety net population, SMMC is requesting that this Board waive the Request for Proposals process and approve this agreement with SDH to provide dental services to the County’s safety net population and reduce the backlog on SMMC’s waitlist.
The County Attorney has reviewed and approved the resolution and agreement as to form.
The resolution contains the County’s standard provisions allowing amendment of the County’s fiscal obligations by a maximum of $25,000 (in aggregate).
It is anticipated that SMMC’s waitlist for dental services will be reduced by 10%.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2021-22 Actual |
FY 2022-23 Projected |
|
Percent reduction in SMMC’s dental waitlist |
10% |
10% |
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of the agreement is September 1, 2022, through August 31, 2025. The amount of the agreement is not to exceed $1,000,000 for the three-year term. Funds in the amount of $334,000 are included in the SMMC FY 2022-23 Recommended Budget. Similar arrangements will be made for future years.
Expenses at SMMC are covered by fees for services or third-party payors whenever possible. The portion of expenses for services provided to the medically indigent or to those covered by programs that do not meet the full costs of care is covered by the County’s General Fund contribution to SMMC and is within the existing annual appropriation.