Register for October 6 advocacy webinar

On Thursday, October 6 at 7pm Central Time, members of ASDA’s national Council on Advocacy will be hosting a webinar discussing current legislative updates. Considering the upcoming midterm elections in November, you won’t want to miss this timely webinar. 

Reduction Act signed into law

A new law signed by President Biden aims to lower the cost of prescription drugs for millions of people, and Medicare enrollees are expected to see the most benefit. Under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the US government can now negotiate prices on some of the most expensive Medicare prescription drugs. Any drugmaker that refuses to negotiate may face a tax penalty. 

Other benefits include requiring that drugmakers offer Medicare rebates if their prices rise faster than the inflation rate, capping monthly insulin out-of-pocket costs at $35 for Medicare beneficiaries, and capping out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries at $2,000 – reduced from $7,000. Other provisions extend subsidies for millions of people who buy their own individual health coverage under the Affordable Care Act through 2025 and provide free vaccines for seniors. 



Why does it matter? President Biden’s signature $4 trillion legislative plan, the Build Back Better Act, initially included provisions to include adult dental benefits within Medicare Part B. Following negotiations, the Build Back Better Act was forced to slim down to a fraction of its initial proposal. The Inflation Reduction Act resulted from these negotiations and includes some of the Build Back Better Act’s climate, healthcare, and tax reform proposals while excluding its social safety net proposals.

Bill aims to increase access to dental benefits 

A bill recently introduced in the Senate aims to allow additional individuals to enroll in standalone dental plans offered through the federal health insurance marketplace.  

A key component of the Affordable Care Act pertains to how states can choose to offer health insurance options. Each state can design their own health insurance marketplace, partner with the federal government, or default to the federally run marketplace.  

Currently, only residents of states that participate in the federal marketplace are eligible for federal dental plans. The new bill aims to increase access by allowing anyone, regardless of state lines, to purchase a federal stand-alone dental plan. 

Senate appropriations bills for fiscal year 2023 affecting dentistry 

U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, has released a version of each of the 12 appropriations bills for fiscal year 2023.  

These bills are a funding recommendation for programs, projects, and activities. They do not represent bipartisan or bicameral (both chambers) agreement, or overall government funding levels. The House Appropriations Committee released their draft in June 2022. The differences between the House bills and Senate bills will now be negotiated to reach a final agreement before the end of the current fiscal year on September 30.  

Highlights of the Senate recommendations include: 

• Division of Oral Health (DOH) at the CDC to receive $19.8 million, the same as in fiscal year 2022 and $1 million below the House bill. 
• The DOH promotes proven interventions such as optimally fluoridated water and dental sealants to reduce the rate of cavities, especially for populations at highest risk. The DOH supports state oral health programs, collects data on oral diseases, and develops and promotes adherence to infection prevention and control guidelines for dental health care personnel.  
• Oral Health Training Programs at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) should be allocated $42.7 million, again the same as the current fiscal year, but $500,000 more than the House bill allocates. 
• Oral Health Training Programs are designed to expand access to and delivery of oral health care services, particularly in high-need areas. The programs aim to increase the number of oral healthcare providers working in underserved areas. An example of this is the Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Program. 
• National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) to receive $526.8 million, which is an increase of $25.6 million above the FY 2022 level and $70 million above the House bill’s allocation for NIDCR. 
• The NIDCR works to advance fundamental knowledge about dental, oral, and craniofacial health and disease, and translate these findings into prevention, early detection, and treatment strategies that improve overall health for all individuals and communities across the lifespan.  
• Part F Dental Reimbursement under the Ryan White Program receive $13.4 million, the same as FY 2022 and $412,000 below the House funding level for FY 2023. 
• This program provides funding designed to improve access to oral healthcare services for low-income people with HIV, and to train dental students and residents to deliver care to people with HIV.

Delaware bill would address underserved communities, licensure, and more 

A bill that passed both chambers of the Delaware General Assembly is awaiting Gov. John Carney (D) signature to take effect. The bill would create the Dental Care Access Task Force, which would consist of designated stakeholders and be required to examine: 

• Dental care access, including for underserved populations and communities, 
• Dental licensure practices and requirements, 
• Dental provider type and scope of practice, 
• Dental provider recruitment and retention strategies and 
• Dental insurance networks and coverage, including for the uninsured and underinsured.  

The Task Force would be required to submit its report no later than Feb. 1, 2023.  

Additionally, the bill increases licensure portability for dentists who apply for a community health license to care for underserved populations. These licenses require the individuals who hold them to work in a Federally Qualified Health Center or government-operated dental clinic. The bill would allow an individual to obtain a community health license by passing a nationally recognized regional board exam, rather than the Delaware Practical Board Exam, and would also create a pathway to full licensure. 

Nevada receives HRSA grants to grow dental workforce 

The state of Nevada announced that its Medicaid program will receive a $1.6-million Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant over the next four years to recruit and retain the state’s dental workforce. The funds will be used to create five new programs that will be used to develop oral health service delivery infrastructure.

The five new programs created by the funding are: 

• Developing a workforce pipeline to train high school students in rural counties in dental assisting and offer apprenticeships; 
• Offering training for school nurses to provide oral health assessments, preventative fluoride, varnish and connection with dentists via teledentistry during a dental emergency on school grounds; 
• Creating the Nevada Dental Health Collaborative for dental therapists, hygienists and predental students to foster interest in dental public health; 
• Implementing an Office of Oral Health Innovation to conduct an annual needs assessment, develop training for Nevada’s dental workforce, and offer in-office support for dental professionals to advance practices around substance and opioid misuse/dependency screening and referral; and 
• Launching a community-based dental clinic in Tonopah, Nev., in collaboration with the Nevada Dental Foundation and the Northern Nye County Hospital District.