Insurance coverage for more than 390,000 Texas children and pregnant women is in jeopardy after Congress failed to renew authorization for a federal program. Congressional authorization for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provides low-cost health insurance for children from … Read More
According to a story in today’s Texas Tribune, a large number of experienced executive staff of Texas Health and Human Services have exited the mega-agency due to conflicts with current Executive Commissioner Charles Smith. So far, these include, according to the … Read More
Today, the Texas Supreme Court agreed to hear oral arguments from orthodontic providers regarding the dentists’ counterclaims in the pending State vs. dentists vs. TMHP/Xerox cases. The general facts of the underlying dispute about orthodontic prior authorization have been well-covered … Read More
UPDATE: September 1, HHS announced this morning that it has put on hold the proposed rate changes per legislative sources. Original story: August 1, 2017 TDMR has received a copy of an email from the Texas Academy of Pediatric Dentistry … Read More
On August 9, the House Committee on Human Services held a public hearing. Part of the agenda was to hear testimony relating to the proposed dental Medicaid reimbursement rate cuts for many necessary codes that have been called “devastating” by … Read More
From the Texas Dental Association: ATTENTION TDA MEMBER MEDICAID DENTISTS: CALL TO ACTION Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) is moving forward with a devastating proposal that will significantly cut certain Medicaid dental reimbursement rates. The proposed cuts include dental codes that … Read More
From the Texas Dental Association: As a part of ongoing efforts to prevent potentially devastating “rebalancing” of Medicaid dental fees, the Texas Dental Association (TDA) will meet with Health and Human Services officials in the coming weeks to discuss each … Read More
TDMR has received a statement from the Texas Dental Association about its position on the proposed upcoming cuts to dental reimbursement rates for Medicaid providers. Statement from TDA President Dr. Joey Cazares The Texas Dental Association (TDA) already voiced strong … Read More
The Statesman published a landmark article this morning by reporter Eric Dexheimer regarding the great Texas orthodontic debacle. Story finally pieced together Thanks to the state’s fraud suit against Xerox, its former Medicaid claims administrator summarily terminated back in early … Read More
A dentist recently contacted TDMR with a problem that his practice, a group practice, has come across with the new requirements for placing Medicaid children under general anesthesia. Difficulty with multiple dentists doing treatment He wrote: The new general anesthesia … Read More
In a blast from the past, former Health and Human Services Inspector General Doug Wilson and his wife are in the news again. Resigned on Friday Frianita Wilson resigned last Friday from Child Protective Services after her husband’s former agency … Read More
Back in October 2015, TDMR filed an open records request with the Office of the Attorney General seeking to find out how much legal manpower had been used to pursue questionable Medicaid cases against Texas dentists involved in the multi-million dollar … Read More
On Tuesday, May 2, Dr. Juan D. Villarreal D.D.S. was honored by the U.S. Small Business Administration Lower Rio Grande Valley District at a luncheon celebrating Small Business Week. He was presented with the SBA’s 2017 Entrepreneurial Success Award at … Read More
From Texas Health and Human Services: The 14-day comment period for the Texas Health Steps Dental Therapeutic Services policy ended March 28, 2017. HHSC solicited and received comments on proposed revisions to the policy from various stakeholders. A summary of comments … Read More
The Texas Monthly has reported that Health and Human Services Inspector General Stuart W. Bowen Jr. resigned last night. He was asked to resign by Gov. Greg Abbott because he had hidden the fact that he was also employed by … Read More
The Inspector General wants your feedback on our website, https://oig.hhsc.texas.gov/. Please take our quick, 7 question survey and let us know how you use our site, what you like about it, and what we can improve on. Click on the link … Read More
The Texas Senate confirmed Charles Smith’s appointment on April 19 as the Health Human Services executive commissioner for a two-year term at the head of the state’s largest agency. Smith, a Childress native, oversees an agency of 53,000 employees that … Read More
Last week, the Texas Association of Health Plans (TAHP) announced that it was working with the Texas Medical Association (TMA) to speed up credentialing for Medicaid providers by selecting Aperture, LLC, as the statewide Credentialing Verification Organization (CVO). Here is … Read More
The following is an interview done with Dr. Juan D. Villarreal, author of “Truth Decay: How Government Corruption Caused a Political Scandal Victimizing Texas Dentists and How It Could Happen to You!,” published by TDMR. The book has now been available … Read More
Texas HHS placed on their website last week two new policies relating to Medicaid dentistry on which they would like stakeholder comments. Dental anesthesia The first is a draft policy relates to dental anesthesia which: Requires prior authorization for general anesthesia in conjunction … Read More
