The Biden-Harris administration has released guidance for coverage requirements in place for children and youth under Medicaid and CHIP.
Five things dental leaders should know:
1. The guidance reinforces the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment requirements set in place for Medicaid and CHIP, according to a Sept. 26 news release. It also provides strategies and best practices for implementing the requirements.
2. One best practice shared regarding dental services includes tracking whether children have received dental check-ups in accordance with time frames identified in managed care contracts.
3. The guidance also recommends that states incorporate oral health into children's primary care visits. In the report, CMS recognized the success of improving children's oral health in one state's model that linked oral health and primary care.
4. The guidance says that states may train primary care providers and pay them for services such as oral health screenings, risk assessments, parent or caregiver counseling and fluoride varnish application.
5. CMS also recommended in its guidance that states can support and incentivize general dentists to provide services to younger children by offering training and enhanced payments.