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American Dental Education Association
Volume 1, No. 91, December 15, 2020
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.
Dental School COVID Related Capital Needs
Sep 25 – Joint letter [ [link removed] ] in Support of Supplemental COVID-19 Relief
Aug 5 – Joint letter [ [link removed] ] Regarding Institutional Aid
Other COVID Issues
Nov 30 – Sign-on letter [ [link removed] ] regarding Voices of the Pandemic
Nov 20 – ADEA letter [ [link removed] ] to Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
Nov 20 – Joint letter [ [link removed] ] in support of Borrower Relief extension
Additional Resources
ADEA webinar [ [link removed] ] on State Advocacy
NHSC Service Loan Repayment Program user guide [ [link removed] ] and application portal [ [link removed] ]
For a full list of ADEA Letters and Policy Memos, click here [ [link removed] ] .
FDA Approves Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine for Emergency Use, 2.9 Million Doses Shipped to States
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) vaccine advisory panel approved Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by a 17-to-4 vote with one member abstaining. Soon after the advisory panel’s approval, the FDA issued the finalized EUA. Within 48 hours of the EUA being issued, the federal government shipped 2.9 million doses to states.
During the advisory panel’s meeting, members expressed concern over the limited amount of data on 16- and 17-year-olds’ response to the vaccine. Given the limited amount of data, it was difficult to determine how much the vaccine would help them, but the advisory panel concluded that the benefits outweighed the risks for this age group. Members also discussed the two serious allergic reactions to the vaccine reported in Great Britain. British regulators are now recommending that people with a history of anaphylactic allergic reactions to medicines and foods not get the vaccine. The advisory panel asked Pfizer to conduct a separate study of people with a history of severe allergies so that this side effect could be better understood and addressed.
Pfizer’s clinical trial will continue even after its vaccine is granted an EUA. The company plans to apply for full FDA approval in April 2021, after it has collected six months of safety data.
Though the federal government shipped 2.9 million Pfizer vaccine doses to states, 2.9 million will be held back for booster shots, which are given three weeks after the first dose. The remaining 500,000 of the available 6.4 million doses are to be held in reserve in case they are unexpectedly needed.
Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Appeal on Medicaid Work Requirements
On Dec. 4, the Supreme Court agreed [ [link removed] ] to hear an appeal from the Trump administration regarding the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services use of 1115 waivers [ [link removed] ] to allow states to implement work requirements in Medicaid programs. As previously reported in the ADEA Advocate [ [link removed] ] , the fight in federal courts over work requirements has been ongoing for the past two years, and federal justices in lower courts have struck down the requirements in multiple states.
The Supreme Court is likely to hear oral arguments early next year and decide later in the Spring. However, it is unlikely a ruling in favor of the Trump administration will have much impact over the next four years. The incoming Biden administration has indicated that it will not approve additional requests by states to implement work requirements and may revoke those that have already been approved. The court’s ruling, however, may have an impact on successive administrations that wish to implement work requirements.
Vaccination Plans Vary Among States
Following the recent approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, states are beginning to add more detail to their varied vaccination plans. While the federal government will grant approval and distribute vaccines to states, each state is responsible for designing their own vaccination plan [ [link removed] ] , and deciding how to best prioritize the limited supply. While every state has released an initial draft plan [ [link removed] ] , these are works in progress that will change as more information about supply and distribution of the vaccinations becomes available. These state plans can vary significantly in detail and the groups prioritized.
ADEA AGR will continue to monitor development of these plans and will work to keep ADEA members informed.
Trump Administration Extends Student Loan Relief for One Additional Month
The Trump administration has extended student loan relief for one additional month [ [link removed] ] . Student loan relief was set to expire on Dec. 31, but now it will expire on Jan. 31, 2021.
Like the past extension, this extension continues the freeze on monthly payments and on interest. Non-payments will continue to count toward the number of payments required under an income-driven repayment plan, a loan rehabilitation agreement or the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Additionally, wage garnishments for borrowers with defaulted federal student loans will continue to be prohibited, and any defaulted borrowers who continue to have their wages garnished will receive refunds.
Further extension of student loan relief is part of the ongoing negotiations surrounding an additional COVID-19 relief package, which remains stuck in Congress.
Biden-Harris Inauguration Information
President-elect Joseph Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’ inauguration will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. The Biden-Harris inauguration will likely be impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. However, those interested in attending the festivities can find additional details here [ [link removed] ] .
ADEA State Calendar [ [link removed] ]
ADEA Washington Calendar [ [link removed] ]
ADEA U.S. Interactive Legislative and Regulatory Tracking Map [ [link removed] ]
Key Federal Issues [ [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.
©2020
American Dental Education Association
655 K Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20001
202-289-7201, 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
[email protected] [ [link removed] ]
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