Despite expanding its coverage of dental procedures for Medicare beneficiaries with certain medical treatments, many clinicians don’t participate in the program. Dental experts told DrBicuspid what needs to happen for the tide to turn.
Dentists said reimbursements need to be better, and there needs to be relief from administrative burdens.
“If we want broader participation, the system must support clinicians operationally — not just expand eligibility on paper,” Dr. Catrise Austin, a cosmetic dentist in New York City and host of the Let’s Talk Smiles Podcast, told DrBicuspid.
In November 2022, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) expanded access to dental care by finalizing payment for services deemed “integral to covered medical services.” Under the rule, Medicare began in 2023 paying for services, including dental exams and treatment related to or simultaneously with organ transplants, valvuloplasty procedures, and cardiac valve replacements.
Source: What needs to happen for more dentists to participate in Medicare / DrBicuspid.com