ADA issues grassroots alert regarding proposed Medicare expansion, urges dentists to contact lawmakers

Apr 8, 2024
The ADA is calling on dentists nationwide to contact their legislators as Congress considers expanding Medicare to include dental, vision and hearing benefits as part of the fiscal year 2022 federal budget, according to ADA News.

Congress is on the verge of creating a Medicare dental benefit that does not align with ADA priorities and does not take into account the needs of dental providers and their patients. It is more important than ever that they hear from dentists to ensure that if they create a benefit that it works for patients and practitioners, not just legislators in Washington, D.C.

The Association is advocating for a distinct program within Medicare that would provide comprehensive dental care to low-income older adults, in alignment with a policy on financing oral health care for adults aged 65 and older that was passed by the ADA House of Delegates in October 2020.

In a grassroots alert sent to dentists, the Association asked dentists to contact their members of Congress to ask for a "new part of Medicare that will work better for dentists and their patients than some of the alternative scenarios."

"Now is the time for Congress to hear from dentists on how to design a new dental benefit in Medicare and how it could best work for dentists and low-income seniors. Take action today."

To contact your legislators, visit the ADA Legislative Action Center