From ASDA

Turn your Advocacy Month participation into points

Earn points in ASDA’s advocacy certificate program by participating in initiatives at the chapter, district, or national level. If you attended an Advocacy Month event last month, signed up for ASDA Action text alerts, or posted a photo of Molar Bear, you’ve already earned 3 points! Check out the other point categories to the right.

Here are the complete rules and details. Submit 8 points by Annual Session to earn a custom certificate and letter from the ASDA.

Submit a resolution to ASDA's House of Delegates by Jan. 8

Did you know that any ASDA member can submit a resolution? A resolution is a request presented to the House of Delegates. It could be a request for ASDA to take a position on a certain topic, or it might seek to amend, or change, one of ASDA’s already-existing policies. ASDA’s policies and positions drive our advocacy efforts on topics like student debt, midlevel providers, and barriers to care.

Learn more about submitting a resolution here and contact governance@ASDAnet.org with any questions.

Advocacy Brief Challenge

As described above, resolutions, which can turn into official Association policy, drive ASDA’s advocacy efforts. We use our policies to advocate on topics like student debt, midlevel providers, and barriers to care.

How many Statements of Position or Policy does ASDA currently have?

The first five people to email advocacydept@ASDAnet.org with the correct answer will win.

From Washington

POST GRAD Act reintroduced to Congress

On October 26, Representative Judy Chu (D-CA) reintroduced the Protecting Our Students by Terminating Graduate Rates that Add to Debt (POST GRAD) Act. This bill would make graduate students eligible to receive Direct Subsidized Loans again. Subsidized loans do not accrue interest while the student is still in school. As a result, a student’s overall debt load is lowered. Graduate student eligibility for federal Direct Subsidized Loans was terminated by the Budget Control Act of 2011.

Why does it matter? ASDA has supported this bill in previous sessions of Congress, at past Lobby Days in Washington, D.C., and has signed onto coalition letters in support of this bill. Student debt remains a top priority for ASDA. While this bill will not solve the student debt crisis, it will help offset the unprecedented financial challenges that dental students face upon graduation.

From the States

Medicaid discussions continue across the country

Medicaid provides health coverage to millions of Americans including eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults and people with disabilities. Medicaid is administered by the states according to federal requirements. Currently, there is no federal requirement for states to provide comprehensive dental care to adults on Medicaid.

North Carolina: After nearly seven years of efforts, North Carolina officially launched its Medicaid expansion on December 1. An estimated 600,000 people are now eligible to enroll. Until now, North Carolina was one of the few states that had not expanded Medicaid coverage at all. Now, only ten states are left to expand coverage.

Nebraska: Beginning Jan. 1, 2024, three healthcare companies in Nebraska will begin managing dental coverage for Medicaid patients in the state. Currently, there is a $750 cap on dental services for Medicaid patients who often need extensive care. The companies plan to remove this maximum among other changes. The Nebraska Legislature is currently considering a measure that would increase dentists’ reimbursement rate by 25%.

Missouri: Missouri has increased payment rates for dentists who treat patients on Medicaid. The goal is to encourage more dentists to participate in the program, especially in rural areas.

Iowa: Growing numbers of Medicaid patients in Iowa are leading to more people relying on the University of Iowa College of Dentistry to receive dental care. Since COVID-19, many private practices in Iowa are not taking new Medicaid patients, and there are few specialists in the state. All these factors are contributing to the university seeing an increase in Medicaid patients.

California Governor signs multiple bills

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed several bills that could have an impact on dentistry and dental education in the state:

AB 936 will allow any dental student who has begun clinical training to practice dentistry at free health care events. Current law only allows dental students in their final year to provide care at these events.

SB 770 would require the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency to pursue discussions with the federal government to obtain a waiver that would allow the creation of a unified health care financing system. This unified system would provide comprehensive medical, behavioral health, pharmaceutical, dental and vision benefits.

AB 1048 prohibits dental insurers from imposing a dental waiting period or provisions that exclude or limit coverage for a preexisting condition.

AB 1257 will make graduates of the state’s dental hygiene programs eligible for licensure upon graduation.

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