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American Dental Education Association

Volume 2, No. 1, March 9, 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.
 
Issues and Resources
ADEA memo [ [link removed] ] on Opioids
ADEA webinar [ [link removed] ] on State Advocacy
NHSC Service Loan Repayment Program user guide [ [link removed] ] and application portal [ [link removed] ]
ADEA memo [ [link removed] ] regarding vaccines at the state level
For a full list of ADEA Letters and Policy Memos, click here [ [link removed] ] .
Grants and funding opportunities through NIH [ [link removed] ]

Congress Reintroduces the TREAT Act
 
The Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, S.168 [ [link removed] ] , was reintroduced by U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Del.) and U.S. Rep. Robert Latta (R-Ohio). This legislation would provide temporary licensing reciprocity for all health care practitioners in all states for all types of services (in-person and telehealth) during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) and for 180 days thereafter. The TREAT Act also requires providers who practice across state lines to notify the state licensing board where the patient resides within 30 days of the initial patient encounter. Once notified, the state would have the authority to prohibit the provider from continuing to practice in the state. This bill is a temporary measure crafted to end at the close of the pandemic.
 
The TREAT Act essentially codifies the language used in the Trump administration’s PHE declaration. The intent behind this legislation, as well as behind the Trump administration’s efforts, is to increase access to care during the PHE and to limit the risk of virus exposure when obtaining care.
 
However, there is one significant difference between the TREAT Act and the Trump administration’s PHE declaration. Under Trump administration’s declaration, states determined who could practice in their state prior to the initial patient encounter, but under this bill, states do not determine who practices in their state until after the initial patient encounter.

CDC Training Modules for COVID-19 Vaccinators
 
Earlier this month, President Biden’s COVID-19 Taskforce acknowledged the need to mobilize more vaccinators to assist in administering COVID-19 vaccines to the 329 million people in the United States. So far, only 7.55% of the population is fully vaccinated.
 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all health care staff members receive training in COVID-19 vaccination, regardless of whether they routinely administer injections. To aid states in establishing training, the CDC has developed training modules [ [link removed] ] based on experience level. For example, there is a module for those who have given vaccinations in the previous year, but a different one for those who have not done so for more than a year. The time required to complete programs varies based on experience level.
 
During the Trump administration and continuing into the Biden administration, ADEA has advocated [ [link removed] ] for the federal government to expand the pool of vaccinators to include dentists, allied dental professionals and dental students. Many states are not waiting for federal action and are passing their own legislation, allowing dentists to give COVID-19 vaccinations.

Minnesota Governor Signs Bill Allowing Dentists to Give Vaccines for COVID-19
 
On March 3, Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed legislation [ [link removed] ] that allows dentists to administer vaccines for COVID-19 in Minnesota. Dentists in the state are already permitted to administer vaccines for influenza, and under the new law will be permitted to administer vaccines for COVID-19 until June 1, 2022.
 
A list of states allowing [ [link removed] ] oral health professionals to administer vaccines for COVID-19 is being maintained by ADEA Advocacy and Government Relations (AGR) staff.

Utah Legislature Sends Two Bills to Governor Impacting Oral Health Professionals
 
Last week, the Utah State Legislature passed two bills that will have an impact on oral health professionals. SB 103 [ [link removed] ] would require the state’s Medicaid program to directly reimburse dental hygienists. The bill would require direct reimbursement when dental hygienists perform services within their scope of practice and request to be reimbursed directly. The bill also requires the state’s Medicaid program to annually report specified information about the reimbursements to the legislature’s Interim Health and Human Services Committee.
 
HB 359 [ [link removed] ] makes several changes to dental insurance laws in the state. The bill limits conditions when an insurer is permitted to use bundling and “downcoding” by prohibiting:
 • The use of downcoding in a manner that prevents a dental provider from collecting the fee for the actual service performed from either the plan or the patient and
 • The use of bundling in a manner where a procedure code is labeled as nonbillable to the patient unless, under generally accepted practice standards, the procedure code is for a procedure that may be provided in conjunction with another procedure.

The bill also
 • Describes when a third party may lease a dental plan network,
 • Describes the requirements for a dental lease contract and
 • Allows a dental provider to opt out of a lease if leased by an insurer.

New Mexico Senate Passes Bill to Expand Definition of Teledentistry
 
On March 3, the New Mexico Senate passed a bill [ [link removed] ] that broadens the scope of teledentistry in the state. Under the state’s current law, a dentist may only engage in teledentistry in real-time in cooperation with another oral health professional to provide limited diagnostic and treatment planning services. If passed by the House and signed by the Governor, the bill would redefine teledentistry to mean “the use of electronic information, imaging and communication technologies, including interactive audio, video and data communications as well as store-and-forward technologies, to provide and support health care delivery, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, transfer of medical data and education.” The bill also clarifies that individuals who practice teledentistry are subject to disciplinary proceedings pertaining to licensure.

New Jersey Legislature Passes Bill to Require Co-prescribing
 
On March 1, the New Jersey State Legislature passed a bill [ [link removed] ] that requires co-prescribing of an opioid antidote when issuing a prescription for an opioid under certain conditions. If Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signs the bill, prescribers will be required to co-prescribe when:
 • A patient has a history of substance abuse disorder,
 • The prescription is for a daily dose of more than 90 morphine milligram equivalents or
 • A patient has a prescription for a benzodiazepine that is a Schedule III or IV controlled dangerous substance.

Similar policies have been adopted in other states [ [link removed] ] in recent years.

ADEA Advocate on Hiatus, Will Resume in Two Weeks
 
The ADEA Advocate is taking a brief hiatus as we prepare for the all-virtual 2021 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition [ [link removed] ] . We will resume our normal publication schedule on March 23.

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.
 
©2021
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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