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American Dental Education Association


Volume 3, No. 1, June 1, 2023

House Republicans Rebuke Biden’s Student Loan Debt Relief Plan
 
The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.J. Res. 45 [ [link removed] ] , providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to ‘‘Waivers and Modifications of Federal Student Loans’’. It passed by a vote of 218-203.
 
This resolution would overturn the Department of Education’s (ED) rule that extended the pause for student loan payments, interest accrual and collection until Dec. 31, 2022 and outlined the Biden administration’s plan to cancel up to $10,000 for borrowers or up to $20,000 for borrowers who were Pell Grant recipients whose income is under $125,000 or couples whose joint income is less than $250,000.
 
Additionally, the resolution would require both current borrowers and former borrowers who have had their loans either forgiven under one of the student loan forgiveness plans or paid off during the student loan payment pause, pay back a certain amount of accrued interest and payments. It would also stop ED’s implementation of a revised income-driven repayment plan.
 
Though the House passed the resolution, the resolution still has to pass the Senate where its prospects are uncertain. The President issued a “Statement of Administration Policy [ [link removed] ] ,” stating that he would veto the resolution if it passes out of Congress.

Sen. Bernie Sanders Introduces His 2023 “Medicare for All” Bill
 
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), along with U.S. Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI), introduced his “Medicare for All [ [link removed] ] ” bill. The House version of the bill has 112 cosponsors—more than the bill has ever had at introduction, and the Senate version has 14 cosponsors. Neither version of the bill has a Republican cosponsor.
 
The Medicare for All Act of 2023 creates a single-payer health care system, which would be available to all U.S. citizens. It builds upon and expands the coverage that Medicare currently offers and provides a comprehensive benefits plan, with no networks, premiums, deductibles, co-pays or surprise bills. The comprehensive benefits plan includes primary care, vision, prescription drugs, mental health, substance abuse and reproductive health care. This year’s bill also includes a new benefit: universal coverage of long-term care with no cost-sharing for older Americans and individuals with disabilities and prioritizes home- and community-based care over institutional care.
 
Similar to the bill introduced in the 117th Congress, the comprehensive benefits plan would include dental coverage for all. The bill also considers oral health as being part of whole-body health as is apparent by inclusion of dentists under the “Office of Primary Health Care.” This new office, created by the bill, would be housed under the “Office of Health Equity.” The Office of Primary Health Care would be charged with expanding the dental workforce. Specifically, it would “develop, coordinate, and promote policies that expand the number of primary health care practitioners including primary medical, dental, and behavioral health care providers, registered nurses, and other advanced practice clinicians…”

Florida Legislature Votes to Fund Dental Student Loan Repayment Program
 
The Florida Legislature has voted to provide $2 million in recurring funds [ [link removed] ] that can be used for the state’s Dental Student Loan Repayment Program and the Donated Dental Services Program [ [link removed] ] . Under the student loan program [ [link removed] ] , up to 10 dentists could receive up to $50,000 annually or $250,000 total in exchange for working at an eligible public health program that serves Medicaid and other low-income patients in a dental health professional shortage area or medically underserved community. Additionally, the funds will enable the Donated Dental Services Program to expand by enabling the program to hire two volunteer coordinators. This program provides free dental care to specified underserved populations.
 
The funds for the programs were included in the state’s annual appropriations bill, which will now be sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) for consideration.
 
Legislation creating [ [link removed] ] the Dental Student Loan Repayment Program was signed into law in 2019, but to date, funding has not been provided for the program.
 
To learn about student loan repayment opportunities in other states, please refer to ADEA’s list of State and Federal Loan Forgiveness Programs [ [link removed] ] .

Minnesota’s Health Appropriations Bill Signed by Governor, Includes Multiple Oral Health Focused Initiatives
 
On May 22, Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed Minnesota’s health appropriations bill [ [link removed] ] into law. The bill included initiatives for multiple programs focused on oral health:
 • Beginning in 2024 or upon federal approval (whichever is later), Minnesota’s Medicaid program will provide comprehensive dental benefits for adults [ [link removed] ] , rather than a limited set of benefits. The legislation requires the program to cover all “medically necessary” services and removes a provision that limited orthodontic services to children.
 • The bill creates a new grant program to improve health professional rural and underserved clinical rotations. The Commissioner of Health is required to award grants under this program to augment existing clinical training programs to add rural and underserved rotations or clinical training experiences, such as credential or certificate rural tracks or other specialized training. Many types of health care professional training programs are eligible for the grants, including dental education programs, dental residency training programs and dental therapy programs. Expanded training for dental programs receiving grants must include rotations in primary care settings, such as community clinics, hospitals, health maintenance organizations or practices in rural communities.
 • Another grant program will allow the Commissioner of Health to distribute funds for clinical training in areas of Minnesota that the Commissioner determines as a high need area and a profession shortage area. Entities that meet specified criteria for serving underserved populations and entities that host clinical trainees from health training programs, including dentists and dental therapists, are eligible for funding.
 • The Commissioner of Health is required to award grants and forgivable loans to critical access dental providers for eligible dental infrastructure projects. To be eligible for a grant or forgivable loan, a dental infrastructure project must be proposed by a critical access dental provider and must allow the provider to maintain or expand the provider’s capacity to serve Minnesota health care program enrollees.
 • Another program requires the Commissioner to award grants to health care entities and human services providers to increase workplace safety in health care settings and human services workplace. Dental clinics are eligible for grants under this program.
 • The newly created Clinical Dental Education Innovation Grants requires the Commissioner of Health to award these grants to teaching institutions and clinical training sites for projects that increase dental access to underserved population and promote innovative clinical training.
 • Finally, the bill directs the Commissioner of Health to contract for an analysis of the benefits and costs of proposals for a universal health care financing system and other reform models as well as the development of an analytical tool. The analysis is required to include spending on dental care.

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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