26RS SB 217

Senate Bill 217

Actions

Last Action	02/20/26: to Committee on Committees (S)
Title	AN ACT relating to dentistry, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.
Bill Documents	Introduced
Bill Request Number	1153
Sponsor	R. Thomas
Summary of Original Version	Amend KRS 164.936 to establish maximum loan repayment awards under the Healthcare Worker Loan Relief Program for dentists and dentists in counties that do not have an actively practicing dentist; provide rural dental practice grant awards and criteria; establish distribution requirements for funds appropriated to the Center of Excellence in Rural Health for loan repayment awards for dentists and rural dental practice grants; amend KRS 164.937 to require information on the Healthcare Worker Loan Relief Program to be reported to the Council on Postsecondary Education and the Legislative Research Commission; amend KRS 313.035 to require the Kentucky Board of Dentistry to create a Rural Dental Fellows Network; require the Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates by 25% for dental services in federally designated health professional shortage areas; appropriate $4,400,000 in each fiscal year of the 2026-2028 fiscal biennium to the Center of Excellence in Rural Health budget unit; appropriate $600,000 in each fiscal year of the 2026-2028 fiscal biennium to the Kentucky Board of Dentistry; appropriate $1,000,000 in each fiscal year of the 2026-2028 fiscal biennium to the Department for Medicaid Services; provide that the Act may be cited as the Rural Dental Incentive and Access Program Act; specify that the expanded award eligibility, required reporting on the Healthcare Worker Loan Relief Program, and the Rural Dental Fellows Network shall expire on July 1, 2036; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.
Index Headings of Original Version	Appropriations - Center of Excellence in Rural Health, dental loan repayment and grants Appropriations - Department for Medicaid Services, dental services, increased reimbursment Appropriations - Kentucky Board of Dentistry, Rural Dental Fellows Network Associations - Rural Dental Fellows Network, Kentucky Board of Dentistry Boards And Commissions - Kentucky Board of Dentistry, Rural Dental Fellows Network Education, Finance - Healthcare Worker Loan Relief Program, dental loan repayment Education, Higher - Center of Excellence in Rural Health, dental loan repayment and grants Education, Higher - Healthcare Worker Loan Relief Program, dental loan repayment Effective Dates, Emergency - Center of Excellence in Rural Health, dental loan repayment and grants, July 1, 2026 Health And Medical Services - Dentists, clinical services, increased Medicaid reimbursement, grants Health Care Professionals - Dentists, loan repayment, grants for clinical services Hospitals And Health Facilities - Dentists, dental practices, increased Medicaid reimbursement, HPSA, grants Medicaid - Dental services, reimbursement rate, increase Occupations And Professions - Dentists, loan repayment, grants for clinical services Reports Mandated - University of Kentucky, Healthcare Worker Loan Relief Program, dental loan repayment and grants Short Titles And Popular Names - Rural Dental Incentive and Access Program Act State Agencies - Department for Medicaid Services, increased Medicaid reimbursement rates, dental services, HPSA Sunset Legislation - Healthcare Worker Loan Relief Program, dental loans and grants, July 1, 2036 Sunset Legislation - Healthcare Worker Loan Relief Program, report on dental loan repayment and grants, July 1, 2036 Sunset Legislation - Rural Dental Fellows Network, increased Medicaid reimbursement, July 1, 2036