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MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH <br />March 27, 2013 <br /> <br />Page 2 of 5 <br /> <br /> <br />Board of Health Minutes Transcription completed by Lisa Smith March 27, 2013 <br />A. Dental Fees Adjustments <br />The Dental Clinic currently bases fees on regional fees on regional fees or Medicaid <br />fees plus 10% Health Department staff members performed an analysis of the Dental <br />Clinic’s current fees and compared with the 70th percentile of the usual and customary <br />fees for Orange county’s zip codes. They found that our rates are set lower than most <br />and higher than some of these fees. The other safety net dental provider in Orange <br />County, Piedmont Health Services, also bases their fees on the ususal and customary <br />method. The Dental Clinic recommends changing its fee structure to the 70th percentile <br />of Orange County’s usual and customary fees. By setting fees to our costs at the 70th <br />percentile, we estimate a net monthly impact of $6901.05. We would be able to expand <br />the number of providers in the dental clinic to see more patients and offer additional <br />services. We currently have a very limited scope of services for our pediatrics and <br />senior services. <br />Motion to approve the Dental fees adjustments forward to th Board of County <br />Commissioners was made by Liska Lackey, seconded by Susan Elmore and <br />carried without dissent. <br />B. Dental Sliding Fee Scale Adjustments <br />Last fiscal year, due to some technical limitations in HIS, staff recommended and the <br />Board approved a change to our Dental sliding fee scale that set our zero percent pay <br />charges to $30.00 per preventive visit and $30.00 per procedure. This change was a <br />work-around to the limitations in HIS is able to code transactions by sliding to a <br />minimum of 20% or $30.00 per visit. This would be returning to the way we charged <br />patients on the sliding fee scale before HIS implementation. It would elimi nate the need <br />to adjust each patient’s account by hand and would be easier to explain to the patients. <br />Dental Health is recommending a return to the pre-HIS 20% sliding fee scale with a <br />minimum fee of $30.00. Considerable staff time is used to manually adjust patient <br />accounts to the 0% sliding fee scale with $30 minimum per preventive visit and $30.00 <br />per procedure. Staff efficiency and increased revenue can be anticipated by returning <br />to the 20% sliding fee scale with a $30.00 minimum. <br /> <br />Motion to approve the Dental Sliding Fee Scale Adjustment forward to the Borad <br />of County Commissioners was made by Carol Haggerty, seconded by Alex White <br />and carried without dissent. <br /> <br />VI. Reports and Discussion with Possible Action