From advancing legislation to new modifier codes, here are 10 updates to know impacting dental Medicaid and Medicare that Becker’s reported on in the first quarter of 2025:
- The orthodontic scoring tool within the Illinois Medicaid program updated its rules and scoring criteria.
- The Arizona Senate passed a bill to expand the state’s adult Medicaid coverage to include comprehensive dental benefits.
- A coalition of more than 70 organizations wrote a letter urging congressional leaders to protect the Medicaid program.
- Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Lloyd Doggett introduced bicameral legislation to expand access to dental, hearing and vision care under Medicare.
- Dental practices could see significant revenue losses if Medicaid funding is cut, according to a report from the Urban Institute and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
- A bill proposed in the Florida Senate would expand dental services for Medicaid recipients and raise reimbursement rates for dentists.
- Lawmakers in North Carolina are pushing to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for dentists.
- Alabama dentists asked legislators to provide emergency funding as they lose money on Medicaid services.
- The American Dental Association urged CMS to strengthen dental Medicare Advantage protections, including increased oversight of supplemental dental benefits.
- Starting July 1, dentists enrolled in Medicare will need to add an administrative modifier code to each procedure code on the ADA dental claim form.
