The ADA is signing onto a coalition letter supporting legislation that would allow certain full-time dental faculty members to exclude the amount of their loan forgiveness from federal income taxes. The Dental Loan Repayment Assistance Act, H.R. 1758 and S. … Read More
In a recent audit, the OIG discovered that a dental management organization submitted financial statistical reports (FSRs) in fiscal years 2021 and 2022 that could erroneously increase the payment per client made by Texas Medicaid. FSRs, among other information, are … Read More
In accordance with House Bill 4611, provisions of Texas Government Code Chapter 531 related to the Office of Inspector General will be transferred to Texas Government Code Chapter 544. The change was mandated by the legislature as part of an … Read More
Dentists operating mobile clinics to serve rural residents are making headlines. One of them is Dr. Chris Bryant of B.C., who has spent the past three decades working primarily out of a modest-sized vehicle that looks like a regular bus … Read More
From advancing legislation to new modifier codes, here are 10 updates to know impacting dental Medicaid and Medicare that Becker’s reported on in the first quarter of 2025: The orthodontic scoring tool within the Illinois Medicaid program updated its rules … Read More
The ADA is pushing for the exemption of medical and dental supplies, equipment and devices from tariffs due to concerns about rising costs and supply chain disruptions. In an April 1 coalition letter spearheaded by the Health Industry Distributors Association, … Read More
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s entire Division of Oral Health was gutted April 1, amid the Trump administration’s efforts to majorly restructure federal health agencies. This comes after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced March … Read More
Most states are implementing strategies to increase the number of automatic renewals for Medicaid beneficiaries, according to a survey from KFF. The research organization published its annual survey of state Medicaid directors April 1. Every state except Florida responded to … Read More
Changes may be coming to your local dental office So what does this really mean? Instead of a dental hygienist cleaning your teeth, it could now be a dental assistant under this newly signed bill. “I think more access sounds … Read More
2025 is poised to be a very consequential year for Texas public policy. Several major reforms favored by Governor Greg Abbott (R) that did not pass in prior sessions appear destined to reach his desk this session, including bills making … Read More
The orthodontic scoring tool within the Illinois Medicaid program has updated its rules and scoring criteria. The update is in part due to the Illinois State Dental Society’s work during the 2024 legislative session to secure $12 million in funding … Read More
Centene has fired Mark Sanders, CEO of its Texas subsidiary, after he told state lawmakers he hired private investigators to dig up information about members, lawmakers and journalists, The Dallas Morning News reported March 27. “Following the hearing, Centene immediately … Read More
The nation’s peak dental body is calling for more transparency around the muddy waters of private health insurance to bring clarity to around 15 million Australian policyholders. The call from the Australian Dental Association (ADA) comes hot on the heels … Read More
The ADA is emphasizing the need for regulatory alignment with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, scalability for small providers and the importance of education and voluntary compliance tools in improving cybersecurity readiness. This is in a response to … Read More
From the clinic she works at in Nashville’s Napier neighborhood, Dr. Janine Moore treats dental patients from 28 different counties. “I’ve had patients from Jackson, from Tullahoma. I’ve actually had a patient who was from outside of Chattanooga,” said Dr. … Read More
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced drastic cuts to the workforce Thursday, and the HHS regional office in Dallas, Texas, could be on the chopping block. As part of a broader effort to reduce federal spending, … Read More
Texas could lose more than 67,500 jobs and about $1.7 billion in economic output under potential Medicaid and food aid cuts, according to a new analysis from the Commonwealth Fund and the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public … Read More
Sun Life U.S. and DentaQuest, part of its Dental business, today announced a three-year agreement to continue supporting TeamSmile as it aims to help more underserved children get oral healthcare and education. With a funding total of $825,000 over three … Read More
The Texas Senate quickly passed its version of the state’s roughly $336 billion proposed budget, which would fund the operations of the state government through 2027. Senate Bill 1, the upper chamber’s version of the biennial budget, passed unanimously Tuesday … Read More
There are 3,030 dental hygienists in Utah, the state with the lowest percentage of residents covered by Medicaid and the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program. More than 20% of U.S. residents are enrolled in Medicaid, according to data compiled by … Read More
“Three Things You Missed in Government This Week” is designed to offer a way to stay informed on the topics of the week. These brief updates are meant to offer brief details on legislative or regulatory topics to keep dentists … Read More
The potential consequences of eliminating the adult Medicaid dental benefit are highlighted in a research brief the ADA Health Policy Institute released March 21. Several committees in the House of Representatives have proposed reduced federal spending for Medicaid, including the … Read More
WASHINGTON— Today, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson and Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-02) introduced the bipartisan Action for Dental Health Act for reauthorization. This bill will continue support to organizations that provide oral health care to underserved populations, especially seniors and children … Read More
In most cases, your health insurance must cover a list of certain services such as cancer screenings even if you get it from your employer. The proposed Texas House Bill 139 could remove that requirement and let a company provide … Read More
Dental industry leaders are grappling with how to bring more professionals into the workforce as states continue to deal with shortages exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are 10 fast facts about where the dental workforce stands now, and where … Read More
Like other Canadians, dentists are grappling with uncertainty as the Trump administration plans to impose a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian imports, effective April 2, following the previously enacted 10 per cent tariffs on Chinese-origin goods. Clifford Sosnow, chair … Read More
Medicaid is the primary program providing comprehensive coverage of health and long-term care to 83 million low-income people in the United States and accounts for one-fifth of health care spending. Medicaid is jointly financed by states and the federal government … Read More
Dozens of dentists and dental students stood behind Assemblymember Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, during a press conference this week in Sacramento to show their support for a bill intended to enhance dental care accessibility and prohibit dental insurance companies from … Read More
State legislators and dental organizations are pushing for increased dental coverage and workforce support for Medicaid programs. Here are five updates to know: 1. A bill proposed in the Florida Senate would expand dental services for Medicaid recipients and raise … Read More
Over the past year, data from DSO DataCONNECT shows a notable shift in the dental industry: the percentage of general dentists affiliated with Dental Service Organizations (DSOs) and group practices (3 or more locations) has increased from 24% to 27%. … Read More
Anthem’s Essential Choice PPO Platinum is our top pick because of its ample benefits. The Platinum plan also pays a higher percentage of dental costs compared to many competitors. We also rate Anthem’s Essential Choice PPO Gold and Silver plans … Read More
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a budget resolution calling for an $880 billion reduction over 10 years, a move that the Congressional Budget Office says is impossible without significant cuts to Medicaid and other essential health programs. As … Read More
Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Healthcare Program Enforcement Division has secured $40 million for the State of Texas by settling an enforcement action brought under the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act (“THFPA”) against Molina Healthcare of Texas, Inc. and … Read More
The ADA, alongside more than 70 organizations, is urging congressional leaders to protect and preserve the Medicaid program. The Association joined a letter led by FamiliesUSA, a consumer health advocacy organization, that highlights the critical role the program plays in … Read More
Texas A&M University researchers Dr. Yuxiao Zhou, assistant professor in the J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Dr. Jaesung Lee, assistant professor in the Wm Michael Barnes ’64 Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, have been awarded … Read More
Dental practice owners are bracing for potential price increases for supplies and equipment as part of President Donald Trump’s tariff plan. President Trump’s 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada went into effect March 4, but they were later … Read More
A federal bill reintroduced March 10 in the U.S. House of Representatives would extend funding to address access to care and dental workforce-related issues. ADA leaders are expressing support for the Action for Dental Health Act of 2025, which would … Read More
A coalition of organizations representing clinicians, providers and health care stakeholders, including the ADA, sent a letter Feb. 17 expressing unified opposition to the proposed Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Security Rule. The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives … Read More
When Alpena’s Jan Prentice had two painfully cracked and infected teeth, it took her four months to find a dentist — 40 minutes away — who accepted her insurance and could take new patients. When she got home from having … Read More
ississippi and West Virginia are the states that receive the most federal assistance for Medicaid, as shown by data from the health policy research center Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). Newsweek has contacted the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid via email … Read More
