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American Dental Education Association

Volume 2, No. 13, June 8, 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
 • NHSC Service Loan Repayment Program user guide [ [link removed] ] and application portal [ [link removed] ]
 • HRSA Faculty Loan Repayment Program user guide [ [link removed] ] and application portal [ [link removed] ]
 • ADEA memo [ [link removed] ] regarding vaccines at the state level
 • 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] ] .

WHO Declares Oral Health a Global Priority
 
At a May 27 meeting of the World Health Organization (WHO), health ministries supported a new resolution [ [link removed] ] that urged oral health be included in the noncommunicable disease agenda. It also recommended a shift from the traditional curative approach towards a preventive approach that includes promotion of oral health within the family, schools and workplaces, and also a comprehensive and inclusive approach to the delivery of oral health care within the primary health care system. WHO also recommended that oral health care should be included in universal health coverage programs because its exclusion from universal health coverage programs is a major problem.
 
WHO will develop a draft global strategy on tackling oral diseases for consideration in 2022, and by 2023, translate that strategy into an action plan that will recommend best practices.

Senate Committee Passes the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act
 
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) advanced the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act (LBA) [ [link removed] ] . The bill establishes grants and requires other activities to improve mental and behavioral health and prevent burnout among health care providers. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would award grants to:
 • Train health care providers, including health professions students and residents, on suicide prevention, other behavioral health issues and strategies to improve well-being; and
 • Establish or expand programs to promote mental and behavioral health among health care providers involved with COVID-19 response efforts.

HHS must also study and develop policy recommendations on:
 • Preventing burnout and improving mental and behavioral health among health care providers,
 • Removing barriers to accessing care and treatment and
 • Identifying strategies to promote resiliency.

Additionally, the bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct a campaign to encourage health care providers to seek support and treatment for mental and behavioral health concerns.
 
The LBA now moves to the Senate floor for a vote.

Colorado Bans Legacy Admissions at Public Institutions
 
On May 25, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed a bill [ [link removed] ] that prohibits public institutions of education in the state from using “legacy” admissions. The bill’s intent [ [link removed] ] is to create greater racial and socioeconomic equity in the admissions process by increasing an emphasis on merit. The bill defines the term legacy preference as “a preference given by a higher education institution to certain applicants on the basis of their familial relationship to alumni of that institution.”

Oklahoma Supreme Court Rules State Agency Lacks Authority to Implement Medicaid Managed Care
 
In a 6-3 decision, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that the Oklahoma Health Care Authority lacks the authority [ [link removed] ] to convert the state’s Medicaid program into a managed care program. The plan to privatize the state’s Medicaid system has been pushed by Gov. Kevin Stitt (R), but opposed by many members of the state legislature, as well as most medical groups in the state. Many of the state’s medical groups joined the lawsuit, including the Oklahoma Dental Association.
 
The ruling also comes on the heels of Gov. Stitt allowing compromise legislation [ [link removed] ] that established guardrails on the managed care program to become law without his signature. A spokesperson for the Governor has stated that Governor’s office’s legal team is still reviewing the decision.

Oregon Governor Signs Bill Requiring Dental-only Health Plans to Reimburse for Telemedicine
 
On June 1, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) signed a bill [ [link removed] ] that increases requirements for third-party telehealth coverage in the state. Among the increased coverage included in the bill was a requirement for dental-only health plans to provide coverage for medically necessary services delivered through telemedicine, if the plan provides coverage of the health service when provided in person, and the health service is determined to be safely and effectively provided through telemedicine. The bill also requires the Oregon Health Authority to reimburse health services delivered via telemedicine at the same rate for a health service delivered in person.

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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