TDMR has learned that Texas Health and Human Services Provider Finance will conduct its biennial review of the Medicaid dental fee schedule later this year. The review will be presented at a rate hearing in November, with a proposed implementation date of March 2025.
Severe challenges for dental providers
As we have written, Medicaid dentists in Texas are grappling with significant challenges threatening their practices and patient care accessibility. Increasing operational costs due to inflation, higher wage expectations, and staffing shortages have compounded the financial strain on providers. A fee increase is vital as reimbursement rates have remained stagnant since 2007, creating a challenging environment for dental practices to operate sustainably.
Public hearing accepts written and oral testimony
The dental fee review was supposed to have been conducted but was postponed “due to feedback on how important the First Dental Home (D0145) is to providers and to oral health of the Texans they serve.”
The Provider Finance department will post a briefing packet about the proposed changes on its website prior to the public hearing. The rate hearing will provide an opportunity to give written and oral testimony.
Join Colorado and Louisiana in raising rates
As both Colorado and Louisiana have increased dental rates to a more sustainable level and above that of Texas, we hope that Texas HHS comes through with a meaningful increase for current providers which also encourages more providers to enter the program.