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Alabama students provide care to rural patients in need
Over 100 students, faculty, residents, and alumni from The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry participated in the first Remote Area Medical Clinic in Alabama earlier this year. The clinic provided $337,324 in free medical, dental and vision care to 612 patients.
Bryna Martinez, Alabama ASDA president shared, “It was very rewarding to be able to give back to underserved communities in Alabama. I was fortunate enough to treat a family, a mother and 2 young boys. They were such an appreciative family and made my day! It made me excited to volunteer at future pop-up dental clinics.”
Why does it matter? Rural communities in Alabama and across the country often face a range of barriers when accessing oral and overall healthcare like lack of insurance and fewer dentists per capita. ASDA encourages participation in initiatives like the Alabama clinic to positively impact the oral health of underserved populations.
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ASDA signs letter to Congress supporting Medicaid dental benefits
On July 7, ASDA signed onto a letter with 16 other organizations urging Senate and House of Representatives leaders to support H.R. 4439, the Medicaid Dental Benefit Act. This legislation would make comprehensive dental care a required component of Medicaid coverage for adults in every state. ASDA and the ADA lobbied this bill at Lobby Day in March 2022. Since Lobby Day, one new Representative and one new Senator have co-sponsored the bill demonstrating their support.
Why does it matter? Like the barriers to care mentioned above, many adult Medicaid patients cannot access comprehensive oral healthcare because there is little, if any, dental coverage in their state’s program. Dental care options for Medicaid patients vary by state, with less than half of the states providing “extensive” dental coverage for adults.
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New points unveiled in Advocacy Certificate Program
Your advocacy efforts are now worth even more! With new categories earning you double or triple points, you’re sure to get to the minimum 8 points in no time. And don’t forget: submitting an answer to an Advocacy Brief trivia question earns you one point:
Which ASDA policy encourages all U.S. CODA-accredited dental schools to accept Medicaid at their respective clinics?
The first five people to email advocacydept@ASDAnet.org with the correct answer will win an Amazon gift card. All responses will earn 1 point in the Advocacy Certificate Program.
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Free webinar: The Science of Advocacy
Thursday, August 18 | 7PM CT | 1 CE Credit Pending
Presented by the ADA Council on Advocacy for Access & Prevention
The science (and the art) of public policy advocacy is a compelling topic, particularly in light of the challenges presented by growing political partisanship and politically motivated thinking (a.k.a. cultural cognition). Effective public policy advocacy can positively shape the world of dental medicine, health care policy, and public health practice. By examining the studies carried out by the social scientists who study cultural cognition, there can be a better understanding of the causes and effects of politically motivated thinking. This webinar will offer potential solutions, stemming from cultural cognition studies as well as time-tested lessons from the discipline of Communication Studies, on how to address and overcome politically motivated thinking. Register here.
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Discussions surrounding student debt continue in Washington
A Federal Reserve Board of Governors note said nearly 60% of student-loan borrowers have not made any payments on their loans since the start of the payment freeze at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. This freeze has saved borrowers about $1.5 billion in interest payments each month and is currently scheduled to expire on August 31. Additionally, some politicians have called for President Biden to cancel at least $50,000 per borrower; the president is reportedly close to reaching a final decision on debt cancelation.
Amid these conversations, on July 6, President Biden announced several proposed changes to the federal student loan system. These changes include making it easier for borrowers working in public service to gain progress toward forgiveness by allowing more types of payments to count, including partial or late payments. It would also create a formal reconsideration process for applicants who were initially denied access to the program.
Why does it matter? One of ASDA’s primary advocacy priorities is addressing the growing student debt crisis. You can act on this issue by sending a letter about certain bills in Congress that would help alleviate some of the financial burden of student debt. Share your voice today on ASDA Action.
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Illinois bill establishes repayment and scholarship program for qualified health professionals
A recently signed bill in Illinois will establish a new program that grants scholarships and repays student loans for some qualifying health care professionals, including dentists. Once implemented, dentists who meet qualifying criteria including working for a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), an FQHC lookalike*, or a hospital system operated by a county with more than 3,000,000 residents will be eligible to apply for student loan repayment.
*What is an FQHC lookalike? These are community-based healthcare providers that meet all the requirements of an FQHC, but do not receive federal funding. They provide primary care services in underserved areas, provide care on a sliding fee scale based on ability to pay, and operate under a governing board that includes patients.
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Licensure portability bills move forward in the states | | |
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The Ohio State House of Representatives passed a bill that would increase licensure portability in the state. If signed into law, the bill would require licensing authorities to issue a license to anyone who has held a license in good standing from another jurisdiction for at least one year. A similar bill has also passed the State Senate. | | |
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In Louisiana, the Senate passed legislation that would require a state licensing board to issue a license to anyone who has held a license in good standing from another jurisdiction for at least one year, provided that an applicant has passed an examination or met education, training or experience standards.
Similar laws have recently been signed or implemented in Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and West Virginia.
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States expand dental Medicaid coverage
As mentioned in the From ASDA section above, dental care options for Medicaid patients vary by state. Here are some recent state updates:
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In Maine, nearly 217,000 adults enrolled in Medicaid received access to expanded dental benefits on July 1. Previously, coverage only included adult emergency dental services. Now, coverage includes full and partial dentures, preventive services, diagnostic services, and restorative services. Dental providers will receive increased reimbursements for covered procedures. | | |
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In New Hampshire, Gov. Chris Sununu signed a bill into law expanding the state’s Medicaid program to cover basic preventive dental services starting in April 2023. Over two-thirds of the program will be paid by the federal government and is ultimately expected to save the state money by helping prevent more costly emergency room visits. | | |
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In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a $307.9 billion budget that will expand Medicaid eligibility to all adult immigrants with low incomes – regardless of immigration status. The move will benefit an additional 764,000 people. | | | | |
