AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION for AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION

Veterans VET

Implementation of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act of 2024 in the context of VA community care dental program, dental provider networks, and access to dental care for eligible veterans.

Contacted: Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

Budget/Appropriations BUD

H.R. 9260, H.R. 9171, H.R. 8800, H.R. 8469 - FY27 appropriations for dentistry and oral health funding, including federal oral health prevention programs, dental research, NIH/NIDCR funding, VA funding, HRSA oral health workforce programs, CDC oral health activities, and Indian Health Service dental programs. Federal grant, research funding, and nonprofit funding policy affecting dental research institutions, dental schools, FQHCs, and oral health nonprofits, including OMB and NIH policy proposals affecting allowable costs, publishing costs, indirect costs, and federal research support.

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE

Bills named: H.R. 9260 (119th), H.R. 8469 (119th), H.R. 8800 (119th), H.R. 9171 (119th)

Education EDU

Dental faculty pipeline impacts tied to immigration/H-1B policies affecting dental schools Implementation of changes to student aid programs put forth in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 Efforts to make changes to eligibility requirements for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. Teaching Health Center, GME, National Health Service Corps and Community Health Center reauthorization H.R. 2028/ S. 942 Resident Education Deferred Interest Act (REDI Act) H.R. 3711/S. 1948 Protecting Our Students by Terminating Graduate Rates that Add to Debt Act (POST GRAD Act) H.R. 3885, Community Training, Education, and Access for Medical Students Act of 2025 (Community TEAMS Act) H.R. 4262, To reauthorize programs related to health professions education ED-2025 Negotiated Rulemaking; William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program (90 FR 15665) (namely proposed changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program)

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE; Education, Dept of; Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS)

Bills named: H.R. 3885 (119th), H.R. 2028 (119th), H.R. 3711 (119th), H.R. 4262 (119th), S. 942 (119th), S. 1948 (119th)

Medicare/Medicaid MMM

Medicaid strengthening and public benefit policy, including adult dental benefits, pediatric dental/EPSDT protections, Medicaid financing, and Medicaid managed care. CMS Chief Dental Officer position in the Office of the Administrator CMS Rural Health Transformation Program guidance Implementation of changes to Medicaid programs put forth in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 H.R. 5243, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase data transparency for supplemental benefits under Medicare Advantage H.R. 9392, Medicare Advantage Cost Transparency Act

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Executive Office of the President (EOP); SENATE; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

Bills named: H.R. 5243 (119th), H.R. 9392 (119th)

Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace LBR

Health care workforce expansion policy and improving outcomes in rural and health professional shortage areas S. 266/H.R. 929, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization S. 1101/H.R. 2332, the States Handling Access to Reciprocity for Employment (SHARE) Act S. 2954, Healthcare Workforce Expansion Act of 2025 S. 4370, the Primary Care Team Education Centers Act

Contacted: Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Labor, Dept of (DOL); SENATE; Indian Health Service

Bills named: S. 266 (119th), S. 1101 (119th), S. 4370 (119th), S. 2954 (119th), H.R. 2332 (119th), H.R. 929 (119th)

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

Eligibility of oral health services and products as qualified medical expenses for reimbursement or payment through Flexible Spending Arrangements (FSAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs); H.R. 1219, Oral Health Products Inclusion Act Tax policy affecting dental practices, small businesses, and health care providers, including implementation of tax provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, as applicable.

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE

Bills named: H.R. 1219 (119th)

Tobacco TOB

CDC Office on Smoking and Health FY27 funding level and appropriations language

Contacted: SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)

Indian/Native American Affairs IND

FY27 appropriations and policy support for Indian Health Service dental programs, oral health workforce, and access to dental care in tribal communities.

Contacted: Indian Health Service; SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Defense DEF

H.R. 1800, National Defense Authorization Act provisions related to military dental treatment facilities, accreditation, military dental readiness, and TRICARE Dental Program policy, including Selected Reserve dental cost-sharing or fee provisions.

Contacted: Defense, Dept of (DOD); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE

Bills named: H.R. 1800 (119th)

Health Issues HCR

Senate HELP Committee health care affordability input House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committee submissions on rising health care costs, early prevention, oral health integration, strengthening public benefits for high-risk patients, team-based models, and reducing administrative barriers H.R. 6561, PREVENT HPV Cancers Act of 2025 H.R. 2001, Action for Dental Health Act Federal oral health infrastructure and public health policy, including oral health leadership and capacity across HHS agencies, cross-agency coordination, the relationship between oral health and mental health outcomes, and HRSA public health priorities relevant to oral health. H.R. 3409, HEADs UP Act H.R. 4556, Protect Our Treatment for Enamel, Erosion, and Tooth Health Act (Protect our TEETH Act) S. 4008, Promoting Dental Health Act House Energy and Commerce health care transparency legislation and related proposals, including itemized billing, provider disclosure, charity care, collections, surprise billing, and application of hospital-style requirements to dental offices. S. 4008, Promoting Dental Health Act EPA-Review of Science on Fluoride in Drinking Water: Preliminary Assessment Plan and Literature Survey (91 FR 3722) FDA-Use of Orally Ingestible Unapproved Prescription Drug Products Containing Fluoride in the Pediatric Population (90 FR 25329) NIH-Request for Information on Maximizing Research Funds by Limiting Allowable Publishing Costs (NOT-OD-25-138) NIH-Request for Information (RFI): Inviting Comments and Suggestions on a Framework for the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2027-2031 (NOT-OD-26-047) NIH policy affecting dental and craniofacial research, including proposals related to limits on principal investigator grants and research funding stewardship. HHS/PACCARB policy concerning antimicrobial stewardship and the National Action Plan on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. HHS request for information on chronic disease of addiction, mental health, prevention, treatment, and recovery policy. HHS Section 1557 nondiscrimination implementation and notice of vacatur affecting covered health programs and activities. Teledentistry, direct-to-consumer dental/orthodontic treatment, and legislation or policy concerning in-person examination requirements before dental or orthodontic treatment.

Contacted: Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Bills named: H.R. 4556 (119th), H.R. 3409 (119th), H.R. 6561 (119th), S. 4008 (119th), H.R. 2001 (119th)

Insurance INS

Medicare Advantage supplemental dental benefits, including benefit transparency, encounter data, marketing, beneficiary understanding of coverage, alignment of advertised benefits with actual coverage, consumer protections, surprise billing, provider directory accuracy, and oversight of dental benefit administration. CMS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027 and CMS RFI on the essential health benefits framework and typical employer standard, including pediatric oral health EHB, adult dental coverage, stand-alone dental plans, riders, carve-outs, and state flexibility.t H.R. 1521, Dental and Optometric Care (DOC) Access Act S. 1677/H.R. 3277, Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act (ELSA) S. 1164/H.R. 1397, Increasing Access to Dental Insurance Act H.R. 7931, Improving Dental Administration Act ERISA preemption and dental benefit plan accountability, including noncovered services, network leasing, assignment of benefits, virtual credit cards, prior authorization, retroactive denials, downcoding, prompt payment, and application of state dental insurance reforms to self-funded plans. H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act H.R. 9177, Clear Healthcare Expense Cost Knowledge Act of 2026 H.R. 9397, Premium Transparency Act H.R. 9396, Prior Authorization Accountability Act

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); SENATE

Bills named: H.R. 1521 (119th), H.R. 7931 (119th), S. 1677 (119th), H.R. 9396 (119th), S. 1164 (119th), H.R. 1397 (119th), H.R. 3277 (119th), H.R. 5582 (119th), H.R. 9397 (119th), H.R. 9177 (119th)

Trade (domestic/foreign) TRD

Tariffs affecting dental medical devices, consumables, and PPE

Contacted: Commerce, Dept of (DOC)

Small Business SMB

Tariffs cost impacts on dental practices and the dental supply chain

Contacted: Commerce, Dept of (DOC)

Science/Technology SCI

HIPAA Security Rule, HIPAA Privacy Rule, cybersecurity compliance, and administrative burden for dental providers.

Contacted: Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

Immigration IMM

USCIS policy changes affecting H-1B visas and the dental education workforce

Contacted: Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS)