TDMR has confirmed rumors that a number of Texas dental providers have been approached by DentaQuest to change their payment method from managed fee-for-service to capitation. Capitation to “share the financial risk” with providers A capitation payment is a fixed amount … Read More
In January of last year, Dr. Juan Villarreal’s long-awaited book “Truth Decay: How Government Corruption Caused a Political Scandal Victimizing Texas Dentists and How It Could Happen to You!” was released on Amazon.com. “Truth Decay” details Dr. Villarreal’s personal struggles … Read More
Recently the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General issued a report A-17-17-52000- U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES MET MANY REQUIREMENTS OF THE IMPROPER PAYMENTS INFORMATION ACT OF 2002 BUT DID NOT FULLY COMPLY FOR FISCAL YEAR … Read More
UPDATE: After conferring with colleagues, this is not the major reimbursement changes that were discussed earlier this year but an annual update of codes with minor changes. Hope you are having a nice Friday afternoon, the Friday before the Christmas … Read More
TDMR is releasing the results of its 2017 Medicaid Provider survey today. Not much has changed Not much has apparently changed for Medicaid providers from 2016. per the 337 individuals who answered our anonymous, 6 question survey in October and … 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
A dozen years ago, Texas health care administrators hired a company to help determine when taxpayers should cover the cost of dental care for the state’s poorer residents, particularly children. The company, later acquired by the giant corporation Xerox, deployed … 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
Stacey English has modest desires for her 7-year-old daughter Addison: Be able to eat without gagging and move both her arms. But since Addison’s occupational therapist went out of business this winter, the child with a rare genetic disorder has regressed in … Read More
Texas rejected billions in federal aid to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, calling the program “broken.” But now it’s asking the Trump administration to renew a deal that’s brought the state an additional $6.2 billion a year under … Read More
Insurance companies are a powerful voice in virtually any congressional debate over health care. In the case of the Senate health-care bill, some insurers didn’t even wait for the official release before expressing their concerns. This week, the heads of … Read More
WASHINGTON (NBC) – Capitol Hill police arrested 43 disability rights activists who staged a protest outside of Senator Mitch McConnell’s office. Protestors filled the hallway in the Russell Senate office building. The sit-in was organized by the Arc, which advocates … Read More
The Senate’s health care bill would result in many disturbing consequences, including an estimated 23 million people losing their health insurance coverage by 2026 and increased premiums and other out-of-pocket costs. An estimated more than 2.5 million Texas would lose … Read More
As Republicans debate health care reform, there is one issue on the mind of many Texas families: Medicaid reform. Despite years of sleepless nights, emergency room trips and long stares into the financial abyss, Kate Robinson-Howell and Bob Howell of … Read More
A College Station woman has been indicted by a Brazos County grand jury after authorities say she fraudulently collected several thousand dollars in Medicaid and SNAP food benefits. According to a grand jury indictment, Kendra Alisa Sterling, 28, was arrested … Read More
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump pledged on the campaign trail to leave Medicaid untouched. But in his first major budget proposal, the president has laid out a plan to reduce Medicaid spending by more than $600 billion over the next … Read More
President Trump’s recent 2018 budget proposal, which includes roughly $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid over the next decade, has led to howls of outrage from Democrats. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said last week that the cuts would “carry … Read More
Wisconsin is preparing to recast its Medicaid program in ways that no state has ever done, requiring low-income adults to undergo drug screening to qualify for health coverage and setting time limits on assistance unless they work or train for … Read More
President Trump has long promised not to cut Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security. But in his budget released on Tuesday, he proposes making massive cuts to Medicaid. Mr. Trump is proposing to cut $610 billion from Medicaid benefits. This could … Read More
ASHLAND, Ky. (AP) — Before Barack Obama’s health care law, about 17 percent of patients in the King’s Daughters Health System were paid for by the government-run Medicaid program. Today, after the law added 400,000 people to Kentucky’s rolls, Medicaid … Read More
SALISBURY, Md. — Two hours before sunrise, Dee Matello joined the line outside the Wicomico Civic Center, where hundreds of people in hoodies, heavy coats and wool blankets braced against a bitter wind.Inside, reclining dental chairs were arrayed in neat … Read More
Four years after Texas gave up millions of dollars in federal Medicaid funds so it could ban Planned Parenthood from participating in a family planning program for low-income women, the state is asking the Trump administration for the money back. … 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
WASHINGTON — In a stunning reversal of momentum, Republicans salvaged long-held ambitions to unwind former President Obama’s 2010 health care law, passing a major overhaul in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday afternoon. Republicans found legislative success on Thursday … Read More
Texas is known for being an alluring place to live: a can-do attitude, economic growth, robust cities with expansive opportunity, and vast outdoor adventures are but a few of the reasons so many Americans choose to become Texans. However, the … 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
Governors are analyzing the House Republican bill to restructure Medicaid and phase out the Obamacare expansion of the program, and they don’t like what they see. That prompted four Republican governors from Medicaid expansion states—John Kasich of Ohio, Rick Snyder … Read More
If you’re poor and you want to keep your health insurance, you may have to go to work. That’s the message from Republican lawmakers who Monday night released a series of changes to their plan to overhaul the Affordable Care … Read More
A new report shows more doctors accepting Medicaid patients in the fourth year of coverage under the Affordable Care Act, which the U.S. House of Representatives this week slated to vote on the law’s replacement. A little more than half, … Read More
Can you imagine a Texas Medicaid budget half of what it was last year? Is it possible for Medicaid patients to get a next-day appointment with their doctor? What if Austin, rather than Washington, controlled “Texas Medicaid”? Texas, can you … Read More
AUSTIN (KXAN) — As GOP leaders unveil and move their replacement plan for the Affordable Care Act through Congress, millions of Texans will be watching. Hundreds showed up Monday to protest changes to Medicaid by making it a “block grant,” … Read More
TDMR recently had the opportunity to interview the current president of the Texas Dental Association, Dr. Rita M. Cammarata. Dr. Cammaratta, despite her extremely busy schedule, graciously consented to answer several questions that we posed to her via email. Her … Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans on Monday released their long-awaited plan for unraveling former President Barack Obama’s health care law, a package that would scale back the government’s role in helping people afford coverage and likely leave more Americans uninsured. … Read More
Yesterday, the Sunset Advisory Commission introduced both a House and Senate bill to adopt their proposed changes to legislation affecting the State Board of Dental Examiners. HB 2990 was introduced as authored by Sunset member state Rep. Cindy Burkett while … Read More
