Legislation Introduced to Expand Medicare to Include Dental Benefits
Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA) introduced the Medicare Dental Benefit Act of 2021 (S.97/H.R.502)(text) on January 28.
U.S. Treasury Announces Next Round of PPP Loans
The U.S. Treasury and Small Business Administration (SBA) rolled out a new round of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) last week. Businesses will be able to use PPP funding over a period of eight to 24 weeks. This new round is said to be more flexible and clearly defined than the previous round of loans.
Biden Publishes COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Fact Sheet
President Biden released high-level details of his COVID-19 vaccination plan on January 15, following public remarks (written) that came a day after the release of his coronavirus relief plan.
McCarran-Ferguson Exemption Repeal Becomes Law
The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act (H.R. 1418) was signed into law on January 13. The law repeals the antiquated McCarran-Ferguson antitrust exemption granted to the health insurance industry decades ago.
Product Recall Alert
AGD Members- Before reading this week's Capitol Connections, please take a moment to review the following information regarding a product recall alert:
Congress Passes Repeal of McCarran-Ferguson Exemptions
The U.S. Senate recently voted on December 22 to pass the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act (H.R. 1418), a bill to repeal the antiquated McCarran-Ferguson antitrust exemption granted to the health insurance industry decades ago.
CDC Clarifies that Dentists and Dental Personnel Included in Initial Phase of COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Recommendation
On December 28, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC provided updated examples of its definition of "healthcare personnel (HCP)" that it recommends be among those offered the first doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
117th Congress Convenes with Pending Senate Elections Set to Determine Balance of Power
The 117th Congress officially began on January 3, which will reset the legislative docket and entail members of Congress introducing new legislation and reintroducing many bills that were not enacted into law over the last two years.
Lawmakers Include Oral Health Allocations in Annual Government Funding Package
Congress passed a $1.4 trillion "omnibus" government funding package for fiscal year (FY) 2021 on December 21, after several delays due to pending negotiations on the latest COVID-19 relief bill.
HHS Sending Out Phase 3 Provider Relief Funds
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on December 16 that the next round of Provider Relief Fund distributions was starting, as it had completed reviews of Phase 3 applications.
FDA Approves Emergency Use of COVID-19 Vaccines
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced the first emergency use authorization (EUA) for a vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in individuals 16 years of age and older.
Congress Reaches Deal on $900 Billion COVID-19 Relief Package
Following months of negotiations and the passage of several short-term funding extensions to prevent a government shutdown, Congressional leaders finally reached a deal on December 20 to provide additional pandemic relief for Americans and U.S. economy through a $900 billion legislative package.
In the States
The AGD has worked diligently with constituents to help address issues during the COVID-19 emergency.
AGD Calls for Lawmakers to Prioritize Oral Health Policies in Funding Package Negotiations
Following the release of the Senate's Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 spending bill working drafts, AGD sent a letter to leaders of relevant House and Senate funding subcommittees to reaffirm support for funding critical oral health programs.
How to Apply for PPP Forgiveness Quick-Reference Available for AGD Members
AGD has prepared a quick-reference guide for members on applying for loan forgiveness under the U.S. Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
AGD Develops COVID-19 Vaccine Website
The AGD has developed a new section of the AGD COVID-19 website to provide members with the most current credible vaccine information available.
AGD Advocates for Additional COVID-19 Relief Package
AGD recently sent a letter to the "Four Corners" of Senate and House leadership, which urges Congress to advance a supplemental COVID-19 relief package to address the general dentistry community's key priorities.
COVID-19 OSHA Standard Expected as Top Priority for Biden Administration
One of the first actions anticipated by President-elect Joe Biden's Administration will be implementing mandatory workplace safety rules that employers must follow to protect workers from COVID-19 exposure.
House Committee Holds Hearing on Pandemic Risk Insurance
The House Committee on Financial Services Committee's Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance held a hearing on November 19 entitled "Insuring against a Pandemic: Challenges and Solutions for Policyholders and Insurers."
Senate Committee Releases FY2021 Government Funding Proposals
The Senate Appropriations Committee published working drafts of its 12 Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 spending bills on November 10.