ADA to dentists: Let Congress know Medicare dental plan is a no-go

The American Dental Association asked dentists Sept. 8 to contact members of Congress to oppose dental benefits being considered under Medicare Part B.

Congress is currently considering legislation to adopt dental, hearing and vision benefits under the program. In August, the ADA sent a letter to Congress proposing an alternative program separate from Medicare that would provide dental coverage for those with income up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level.

In its request, the dental association said the current proposal does not consider the difference between physician offices and dental offices. It added that the proposal would not properly reimburse dentists and would require administrative, technical and programmatic requirements that would not best serve older patients.

“You CAN make a difference,” ADA President Daniel Klemmedson, DDS, MD, said in an email to members. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, over 160,000 dentists wrote to Congress, and this helped ensure that Congress passed laws that supported dentistry. We need you to take action now by contacting your members of Congress.”

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