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American Dental Education Association

Volume 1, No. 99, February 23, 2021

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.

 

COVID Related Capital Needs

Feb 12 – ADEA regarding vaccines at the state level

Jan 28 – Sign on regarding HEERF Grants

 

Other COVID Issues

Jan 4 – ADEA regarding vaccine allocation

Jan 4 – ADEA regarding Provider Relief Fund

Jan 4 – Joint regarding COVID-19 policy changes

 

Additional Resources

ADEA on State Advocacy

NHSC Service Loan Repayment Program and application

For a full list of ADEA Letters and Policy Memos, click .
CDC Updates Quarantine Rules for Vaccinated Persons Exposed to COVID-19

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued updated regarding changes to the quarantine period for fully vaccinated persons. Under the updated guidance, a person who is fully vaccinated does not have to quarantine if they are exposed to someone suspected of having COVID-19 or confirmed COVID-19 positive. To avoid quarantining, the vaccinated person must meet all three of the following criteria:

  • Be fully vaccinated, which is defined as having been vaccinated with the second dose at least two weeks prior to exposure,
  • Are within three months following receipt of the second dose and
  • Are asymptomatic following the current COVID-19 exposure.

 

If the vaccinated person does not meet all three of the criteria or if they exhibit COVID-19 symptoms, the vaccinated person will have to follow the current established quarantine guidance. Specifically, the vaccinated person should quarantine and seek COVID-19 testing.
President Biden Opposes $50,000 in Student Loan Forgiveness

 

During a townhall, President Joseph Biden flatly providing $50,000 in student loan forgiveness. Instead, Biden stated that he would support $10,000 in student loan forgiveness, which is in line with his campaign pledge. There was immediate pushback from Progressive Democrats in response to President Biden’s statement. Many Democrats support $50,000 in student loan forgiveness, and they also believe the President has the legal authority to forgive student loan debt using an executive order. However, the Biden administration is not sure that it has the legal authority to do so and has begun to research the issue.

 

Earlier this month, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) introduced , a resolution calling for $50,000 in student loan forgiveness. U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and U.S. Rep. IIhan Omar (D-Minn.) introduced the companion resolution in the House of Representatives. Resolutions are not legally binding and thus, do not have the force of law; resolutions are only an expression of the sentiment of Congress. However, a resolution can be an effective way to apply public pressure on the President to support a payment of $50,000 in student loan forgiveness.

Maryland Senate Passes Bill to Create Task Force on Oral Health Care

 

On Feb. 16, the Maryland Senate passed to examine issues related to access and barriers to care. The bill requires the task force to:

  • Analyze the current access to dental services for all residents of the state, with a focus on socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, age and disability of residents as factors impacting access to dental services;
  • Identify areas of the state where a significant number of residents are not receiving oral health care services with a distinction between pediatric and adult populations, and identify specified barriers to receiving dental services in the areas identified; and
  • Assess specified options for eliminating barriers.

Included among the options for eliminating barriers that must be examined by the task force are evaluating:

  • The benefits of mid-level providers, including dental therapists, and the cost and efficacy of establishing an education program for dental therapy that meets Commission on Dental Accreditation standards;
  • The impact of reinstating hospital-based dental residency programs; and
  • Methods to begin reestablishing dental Medicaid for adults, including making a cost-benefit analysis.

The bill also requires the Dean of the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, or the Dean’s designee, to be a member of the task force. The bill has been sent to the state’s House of Representatives for consideration.
Iowa House Passes Bill Requiring 75% of Students Accepted to Dental School to be State Residents

 

On Feb. 17, the Iowa House of Representatives that would require 75% of the students accepted at The University of Iowa College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics (UI COD) to be residents of Iowa, or enrolled in an institution located in the state prior to applying. In addition to the residency requirement, the University would be required to annually report to the legislature the states in which members of each UI COD graduating class reside during the year immediately following graduation. In the report, the University would have to divide this information about graduating classes between residents of Iowa at the time of application and nonresidents at the time of application. The bill also applies to UI College of Medicine in the Doctor of Medicine program. It will now be considered by the State Senate.

Update on Medicaid

 

On Feb. 12, the Biden administration announced plans to . The administration announced it would pursue this goal by notifying 10 states that had previously been approved that their approval was being rescinded, and that the administration was also withdrawing a letter issued by the Trump administration that invited states to apply for permission to implement these requirements.

 

Work requirements were a signature policy of the Trump administration, which were struck down in federal courts. The has agreed to hear an appeal of the lower court rulings.

 

In , Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) has announced plans to privatize the state’s Medicaid system. The move is being opposed by medical organizations in the state, including the Oklahoma Dental Association, which have asking the state’s Supreme Court to grant an injunction to prevent the Governor from moving forward before the state legislature is provided an opportunity to consider the matter. The move to privatize is opposed by some members of the legislature, including at least 30 Republicans. If the plan does move forward, the state has already to receive managed care dental contracts for the state Medicaid oral health plans: Dentaquest, Liberty Dental Plan of Oklahoma, Inc. and MCNA Dental.

The 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.

 

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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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