Section 14459.6.

(a) The department shall establish a list of performance measures to ensure dental health plans meet quality criteria required by the department. The list shall specify the benchmarks used by the department to determine whether and the extent to which a dental health plan meets each performance measure. Commencing January 1, 2013, and quarterly thereafter, the list of performance measures established by the department along with each plan's performance shall be posted on the department's Internet Web site. The Department of Managed Health Care and the advisory committee established pursuant to Section 14089.08 shall have access to all performance measures and benchmarks used by the department as described in this section.

(1) The performance measures established by the department shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following: provider network adequacy, overall utilization of dental services, annual dental visits, use of preventive dental services, use of dental treatment services, use of examinations and oral health evaluations, sealant to restoration ratio, filling to preventive services ratio, treatment to caries prevention ratio, use of dental sealants, use of diagnostic services, and survey of member satisfaction with plans and providers.

(2) The survey of member satisfaction with plans and providers shall be the same dental version of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey as used by the Healthy Families Program.

(3) The department shall notify dental health plans at least 30 days prior to the implementation date of these performance measures.

(4) The department shall include the initial list of performance measures and benchmarks in any dental health contracts entered into between the department and a dental health plan pursuant to Section 14204.

(5) The department shall update performance measures and benchmarks and establish additional performance measures and benchmarks in accordance with all of the following:

(A) The department shall consider performance measures and benchmarks established by other states, the federal government, and national organizations developing dental program performance and quality measures.

(B) The department shall notify dental health plans at least 30 days prior to the implementation date of updates or changes to performance measures and benchmarks. The department shall also post these updates or changes on its Internet Web site at least 30 days prior to implementation in order to provide transparency to the public.

(C) To ensure that the dental health needs of Medi-Cal beneficiaries are met, the department shall, when evaluating performance measures and benchmarks for retention on, addition to, or deletion from the list, consider all of the following criteria:

(i) Monthly, quarterly, annual, and multiyear Medi-Cal dental managed care trended data.

(ii) County and statewide Medi-Cal dental fee-for-service performance and quality ratings.

(iii) Other state and national dental program performance and quality measures.

(iv) Other state and national performance ratings.

(b) In establishing and updating the performance measures and benchmarks, the department shall consult the advisory committee established pursuant to Section 14089.08, as well as dental health plan representatives and other stakeholders, including representatives from counties, local dental societies, nonprofit entities, legal aid entities, and other interested parties.

(c) In evaluating a dental health plan's ability to meet the criteria established through the performance measures and benchmarks, the department shall select specific performance measures from those established by the department in subdivision (a) as the basis for establishing financial or other incentives or disincentives, including, but not limited to, bonuses, payment withholds, and adjustments to beneficiary assignment to plan algorithms. These incentives and disincentives shall be included in the dental health plan contracts.

(d) (1) The department shall designate an external quality review organization (EQRO) that shall conduct external quality reviews for any dental health plan contracting with the department pursuant to Section 14204.

(2) As determined by the department, but at least annually, dental health plans shall arrange for an external quality of care review with the EQRO designated by the department that evaluates the dental health plan's performance in meeting the performance measures established in this section. Dental health plans shall cooperate with and assist the EQRO in this review. The Department of Managed Health Care shall have direct access to all external quality of care review information upon request to the department.

(3) An external quality of care review shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following: performance on the selected performance measures and benchmarks established and updated by the department, the CAHPS member or consumer satisfaction survey referenced in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), reporting systems, and methodologies for calculating performance measures. An external quality of care review that includes all of the above components shall be paid for by the dental health plan and posted online annually, or at any other frequency specified by the department, on the department's Internet Web site.

(e) All marketing methods and activities to be used by dental plans shall comply with subdivision (b) of Section 10850, Sections 14407.1, 14408, 14409, 14410, and 14411, and Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, including Sections 53880 and 53881. Each dental plan shall submit its marketing plan to the department for review and approval.

(f) Each dental plan shall submit its member services procedures, beneficiary informational materials, and any updates to those procedures or materials to the department for review and approval. The department shall ensure that member services procedures and beneficiary informational materials are clear and provide timely and fair processes for accepting and acting upon complaints, grievances, and disenrollment requests, including procedures for appealing decisions regarding coverage or benefits.

(g) Each dental plan shall submit its provider compensation agreements to the department for review and approval.

(h) The department shall post to its Internet Web site a copy of all final reports completed by the Department of Managed Health Care regarding dental managed care plans.

(Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 23, Sec. 114. Effective June 27, 2012.)