AGD Capitol Connections

In July, AGD exhibited at the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) Annual Meeting in Orlando and in August AGD exhibited at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Annual Meeting in Indianapolis.

On August 7, 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a final rule entitled, Dispensing of Narcotic Drugs to Relieve Acute Withdrawal Symptoms of Opioid Use Disorder.

The Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act of 2021 is a law passed as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, focused on training for prescribers of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment drugs and requires health care providers, including dentists, to complete a one-time training on managing patients with SUDs as a condition of receiving or renewing a registration to prescribe controlled substances.

On July 28, 2023, both the House of Representatives and the Senate entered the summer congressional district work period colloquially referred to as "August recess", which is a month-long period in which Members of Congress leave D.C. to travel back to their home states and districts.

On July 19, 2023, the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), along with several other dental organizations, sent a letter to the National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) Committee on Health Insurance & Long-Term Care Issues, urging them to adopt the Medical Loss Ratios (MLR) for Dental Health Care Services Plans Model Act (the Model Act).

The AGD Advocacy Fund supports national and constituent advocacy efforts by providing resources to tackle new matters, such as legislation or legal action affecting the practice of general dentistry.

On July 13, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released two proposed rules, the Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System Proposed Rule (CMS 1786-P) and the Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Proposed Rule (CMS-1784-P).

On July 18, 2023, the AGD and other dental organizations sent a letter to House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA-5) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ-6) urging them to reauthorize the Action for Dental Health (ADH) program (H.R. 3843, the Action for Dental Health Act of 2023) for 5 years (2024 through 2028).

The AGD Advocacy Fund supports national and constituent advocacy efforts by providing resources to tackle new matters, such as legislation or legal action affecting the practice of general dentistry.

On July 3, 2023, staff of Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Mitt Romney (R-UT) released a staff-level bipartisan discussion draft to reauthorize the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA).

By the end of June most state legislatures have ended their sessions for 2023 and adjourned for the year. In addition to medical loss ratio legislation, dentists continued to advocate for insurance reform in the state capitols.

The AGD Advocacy Fund supports national and constituent advocacy efforts by providing resources to tackle new matters, such as legislation or legal action affecting the practice of general dentistry.

On June 14, 2023, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a legislative hearing entitled, Examining Proposals that Provide Access to Care for Patients and Support Research for Rare Diseases.

This week Congress kicked off the fiscal year (FY) 2024 appropriations process with the first markups in the House. Each year, Congress aims to pass 12 separate appropriations bills to fund government programs.

After the great success of Massachusetts Ballot Question 2 in November 2022, legislation dealing with medical loss ratios for dental insurers was introduced in twelve states this year and was enacted in Arizona, Colorado, and Nevada and is still alive in Rhode Island.

The AGD Advocacy Fund supports national and constituent advocacy efforts by providing resources to tackle new matters, such as legislation or legal action affecting the practice of general dentistry.

On May 15, 2023, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued a request for comments on a draft recommendation and draft evidence review on screening and preventive interventions for oral health in adults.

The AGD Advocacy Fund supports national and constituent advocacy efforts by providing resources to tackle new matters, such as legislation or legal action affecting the practice of general dentistry.

On May 16, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated its Strategic Plan page to include a new Cross Cutting Initiative (CCI): Oral Health.

On May 22nd and 23rd AGD leaders from around the country descended on our nation's capital to petition their government on behalf of general dentists. Below are a few attendee highlights.