Several states have either approved or proposed legislation to expand Medicaid dental coverage for residents or increase reimbursements for dental providers.
Four updates:
1. Louisiana legislators advanced House Bill 222, which would require Medicaid to cover dental procedures deemed medically necessary in order for a patient to be cleared to receive another medical procedure. The House Committee on Appropriations voted unanimously to advance the bill, sending it to the full House for final approval.
2. Senate Bill 805 was introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly to increase Medicaid reimbursement rate for dentists by 47%. Currently, the dental reimbursement rate is about 34 cents on the dollar. That rate would climb to about 50 cents if the bill is approved. The bipartisan bill was referred to the Rules and Operations of the Senate committee on April 22.
3. Maine Gov. Janet Mills signed legislation April 15 that increases the reimbursement rate for general anesthesia given during dental procedures. The law increases the reimbursement rate from $151 to $203 for every 15 minutes a patient is under general anesthesia.
4. Illinois legislators are considering two bills that would increase payments for dentists who treat children under Medicaid. House Bill 4393 would increase reimbursement rates by 33% for several services, including comprehensive oral exams, periodic oral exams, problem-focused exams, behavior management codes, sealants, resin-based composites-posterior teeth, and extractions. House Bill 4392 would increase the reimbursement rates for all services provided to children by 50%.
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