AGD Tells All of Congress to Consider the Ramifications of Expanding Medicare
AGD’s President, Dr. Bruce Cassis, D.D.S., MAGD, sent a letter to every member of the U.S. House and Senate on September 7, asking them to consider the unforeseen and significant consequences of expanding Medicare to include dental benefits. The letter provided lawmakers with reflections on this issue from the perspective of the many general dentists potentially impacted by these policy changes.
Dr. Cassis said in the letter that “AGD does not feel that dental benefit expansion proposals being circulated would encourage provider participation or address low-income seniors’ immediate oral health needs.” The letter also highlighted concerns that these proposals would essentially take away market-based care delivery choice options many seniors participate in, such as Medicare Advantage (MA) plans.
AGD also shared strong concerns that the budget projections to pay for expansion are unrealistically low and will not support provider participation, and the benefits America’s seniors need and deserve.
House Democrats are now beginning to advance the President’s $3.5 trillion Budget Reconciliation package, which will include provisions to expand Medicare to include dental benefits. On September 7, the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee announced that it would be holding a markup session on its portion of the Reconciliation package on September 9 and 10. The Committee has also released the text of its proposed language to include dental, hearing, and vision benefits under Medicare.
Impact on General Dentistry: AGD will continue communicating the organization’s position on the Medicare dental benefits expansion issue to lawmakers in Congress. AGD appreciates the many members that responded to the action alert asking them to contact their members of Congress to urge them to oppose expansion. AGD hopes that policymakers will realize that these expansion proposals have the potential to undo and reverse decades of progress that dentistry has made in improving and preserving the oral health of our senior citizens.
Dr. Cassis said in the letter that “AGD does not feel that dental benefit expansion proposals being circulated would encourage provider participation or address low-income seniors’ immediate oral health needs.” The letter also highlighted concerns that these proposals would essentially take away market-based care delivery choice options many seniors participate in, such as Medicare Advantage (MA) plans.
AGD also shared strong concerns that the budget projections to pay for expansion are unrealistically low and will not support provider participation, and the benefits America’s seniors need and deserve.
House Democrats are now beginning to advance the President’s $3.5 trillion Budget Reconciliation package, which will include provisions to expand Medicare to include dental benefits. On September 7, the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee announced that it would be holding a markup session on its portion of the Reconciliation package on September 9 and 10. The Committee has also released the text of its proposed language to include dental, hearing, and vision benefits under Medicare.
Impact on General Dentistry: AGD will continue communicating the organization’s position on the Medicare dental benefits expansion issue to lawmakers in Congress. AGD appreciates the many members that responded to the action alert asking them to contact their members of Congress to urge them to oppose expansion. AGD hopes that policymakers will realize that these expansion proposals have the potential to undo and reverse decades of progress that dentistry has made in improving and preserving the oral health of our senior citizens.