Here are 20 updates to know on dental Medicaid and Medicare that Becker's reported on in 2024:
1. A study conducted by researchers at Mass General Brigham uncovered that less than 10% of Medicare Advantage plans offered a dental benefit that met quality standards.
2. Pennsylvania State Senate Democratic leader Jay Costa announced plans to reintroduce a bill that would restore dental care coverage for Medicare beneficiaries.
3. A study published in The Journal of the American Dental Association put forward prospective plans for Medicare to add an adult dental benefit.
4. CMS finalized a rule to expand its list of clinical scenarios in which fee-for-service Medicare payments can be made for dental services linked to covered services.
5. House Rep. Greg Murphy, MD, introduced a bill that would stabilize pay under Medicare for 2025.
6. Texas Health and Human Services Provider Finance released its fees for dental Medicaid codes for 2025.
7. The Oregon Health Authority researched why so many dentists in the state do not accept patients on Medicaid.
8. The "Live Healthy" legislative package in Florida went into effect Oct. 1, which allocates more than $30 million to raise Medicaid reimbursements for dentists.
9. The Biden-Harris administration released guidance for coverage requirements in place for children and youth under Medicaid and CHIP.
10. Lawmakers in Pennsylvania continued efforts to restore the state's adult Medicaid services after they were eliminated over a decade ago.
11. The American Dental Association urged Congress to create policies that make it easier for Medicaid patients to receive oral health services and dentists to enroll in Medicaid.
12. Nearly 190 organizations signed a letter urging legislators to pass the Stabilize Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Act.
13. A recent audit by the Louisiana Department of Health revealed that one of the dental providers that the state contracts with fell short of expectations.
14. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services began accepting and processing claims for Medicare dental services July 1.
15. A national poll showed that 92% of national voters support adding dental coverage to Medicare.
16. The Arkansas Department of Human Services ended its Medicaid managed care dental program and returned to a fee-for-service program.
17. The Maryland Department of Health studied the feasibility of offering Medicaid reimbursements for oral health professionals who provide full or partial dental work.
18. The Nebraska legislature approved a bill that increases reimbursements for Medicaid dental services.
19. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signed a bill that expands the state's Medicaid dental coverage cap.
20. The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry received a nearly $1 million grant to examine the effect Virginia's Medicaid dental policies have on access and use of care.