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American Dental Education Association
Volume 2, No. 82, January 10, 2023
118th U.S. Congress is Sworn In
On Jan. 3, the 118th Congress of the United States convened. In the Senate, the Democrats remain in control with a 51 to 49 seat majority over the Republicans. U.S. Sen. Charles “Chuck” Schumer (D-NY) continues to lead Senate Democrats as the Senate Majority Leader, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) continues as Majority Whip and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) will be the first female President Pro Tempore in the Senate. The Senate Democratic Caucus will be led by co-chairs U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). The one and two Senate Republican positions remain the same. U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sen. John Thune (R-SD) continue to lead Senate Republicans as Senate Minority Leader and Senate Minority Whip.
The Senate swearing-in process proceeded as expected without incident. After the swearing in, the Senate adjourned as planned until Jan. 20.
Unlike the Senate, the opening of the U.S. House of Representatives did not go as smoothly as hoped. For the first time since 1923, the Speaker of the House was not decided on the first ballot. It took 15 ballots and five days to name U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as the Speaker of the House for the 118th Congress. U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) was named the House Majority Leader and U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) was named the House Majority Whip. U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jefferies (D-NY) was named the first African-American House Democratic Minority Leader with U.S. Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA) named House Democratic Leader and U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) named House Democratic Minority Whip, rounding out the Democratic leadership team.
Though the Senate will be in recess, the House returns this week to vote on the House Rules governing the 118th Congress. These rules govern the policies, process and procedures used to run the House in the 118th Congress.
CMS Proposed Rule Tackles Provider Availability and Simplifies Plan Choices
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that makes changes to rules governing insurers operating on the Affordable Care Act marketplace exchanges. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2024 proposed rule [ [link removed] ] is designed to increase access to care and simplify choice by improving the plan selection process, making it easier to enroll in coverage, strengthening markets and bolstering program integrity, according to CMS.
The proposed rule requires that all marketplace plans must use providers that comply with network adequacy and essential provider standards, removing an exception that those regulations don’t apply to insurers who don’t use a provider network. It also requires insurers to include at least 35% of providers in any given market into their networks.
In addition to increasing provider availability, the proposed rule would also limit the number of non-standardized plan options that issuers can provide on exchanges and increase the availability of standardized plans. Standardized plans are required to standardize their deductibles, out-of-pocket maximum payments and cost-sharing for plans with the same coverage metals. Insurers would only be able to offer two non-standardized plans at each network type per metal level on federal marketplaces. For example, a plan would be limited to offering two gold health maintenance organization and two gold preferred provider organization non-standardized plan options in any service area in 2024 and beyond.
The rule also proposes additional flexibilities for those losing Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program coverage due to the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Enrollees who lose Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2024, will have 60 days before or 90 days after coverage ends to enroll in another marketplace plan due to a special enrollment period.
Finally, the proposed rule also allows marketplace plans to have the option of providing earlier coverage start dates for those anticipating a loss of health coverage who would otherwise experience a gap in coverage.
The 2023 HRSA Loan Application Cycle is Now Open
The Health Resources and Services Association (HRSA) has opened their 2023 application cycle [ [link removed] ] for loan repayment programs. These programs are specifically for schools and institutions; students are not eligible to apply for these programs directly.
For additional information on these programs, HRSA is holding a technical assistance webinar [ [link removed] ] on Tuesday, Jan. 17, noon - 1:30 p.m. ET.
2023 State Legislative Sessions Begin Across the Country
January marks the traditional convening of many state legislatures throughout the country. Most state legislatures, unlike Congress, only meet part-time and only for a portion of the year. With more than 40 state legislatures set to begin sessions in January [ [link removed] ] , and less than half expected to meet beyond May, ADEA is anticipating considerable state activity over the coming months.
One early highlight among legislative proposals is a bill in Missouri [ [link removed] ] that would allow dentists to administer vaccines to individuals over the age of 7. Other topics of interest this year will likely include Medicaid expansion in North Carolina [ [link removed] ] , loss ratio requirements for dental insurers in Nevada [ [link removed] ] and other issues tracked daily on ADEA’s U.S. Interactive Legislative and Regulatory Tracking Map [ [link removed] ] .
Update to ADEA State Opioid Chart Now Available
ADEA Advocacy and Government Relations (AGR) is pleased to announce the completion of an annual update to its chart detailing recently enacted state opioid policies [ [link removed] ] . The chart provides a brief overview of state policies enacted in 2022 to help dental professionals stay current on recent changes to laws that affect opioid-prescribing practices or changes to opioid policy that are relevant to academic dentistry. To view recently proposed and enacted legislative and regulatory changes that will impact opioid policy, please visit the ADEA U.S. Interactive Legislative and Regulatory Tracking Map [ [link removed] ] and select “Opioids” from the menu. Information on the ADEA interactive map is updated daily.
ADEA Advocacy in Action
This appears weekly in the ADEA Advocate to summarize and provide direct links to recent advocacy actions taken by ADEA. Please let us know what you think and how we might improve its usefulness.
Issues and Resources
• Applications open [ [link removed] ] for Ryan White Part F Dental Reimbursement Program
• Applications open [ [link removed] ] for HRSA Dental Public Health Research Fellowship
• ADEA report [ [link removed] ] on teledentistry
• ADEA report [ [link removed] ] on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on U.S. Dental Schools
• ADEA policy brief [ [link removed] ] regarding overprescription of antibiotics
• For a full list of ADEA memos, briefs and letters click here [ [link removed] ] .
Key Federal Issues [ [link removed] ]
ADEA U.S. Interactive Legislative and Regulatory Tracking Map [ [link removed] ]
Key State Issues [ [link removed] ]
The ADEA Advocate [ [link removed] ] is published weekly. Its purpose is to keep ADEA members abreast of federal and state issues and events of interest to the academic dentistry and the dental and research communities.
©2023
American Dental Education Association
655 K Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20001
Tel: 202-289-7201
Website: www.adea.org [ [link removed] ]
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B. Timothy Leeth, CPA
ADEA Chief Advocacy Officer
Bridgette DeHart, J.D.
ADEA Director of Federal Relations and Advocacy
Phillip Mauller, M.P.S.
ADEA Director of State Relations and Advocacy
Brian Robinson
ADEA Program Manager for Advocacy and Government Relations
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