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American Dental Education Association

Volume 2, No. 39, January 25, 2022
CMS Updates Compliance Deadlines for Health Care Providers’ Vaccine Mandate

 

After the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision upholding the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for health care providers, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released on Jan. 14 an updated on its Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination Interim Final Rule.

 

Under the guidance, health care providers in the 24 states that challenged the mandate and are covered by the decision (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming) must ensure their employees have their first dose by Feb. 14, 2022, and their second dose by March 15, 2022. Providers in the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories and the other 25 states that did not challenge the mandate must have their employees’ first dose administered by Jan 27, 2022, and their second dose administered by Feb. 28, 2022.

 

The only state that the updated guidance did not apply to was Texas. Though Texas was not a party to the Supreme Court lawsuit, it did file a request for a preliminary injunction blocking implementation of the vaccine mandate. On Dec. 16, Texas secured a preliminary injunction blocking the vaccine mandate. However, last week the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas dismissed the lawsuit, thereby lifting the preliminary injunction, and closed the case in light of the Supreme Court’s decision. CMS has not yet announced a vaccine compliance date for health care providers in Texas.

Biden Administration Provides Free COVID-19 Rapid Test Kits

 

The Biden administration launched its new to order free rapid COVID-19 testing. The website was launched one day earlier than planned. Through the website, the public can order free rapid antigen test kits, which will be shipped in seven to 12 days. Each order contains four test kits. Each test kit contains two tests for a total of eight individual tests. Only one order (i.e., four test kits) per household is allowed. The administration partnered with the U.S. Postal Service to handle orders and deliveries of the free test kits.

 

As part of the Biden administration’s effort to increase access to COVID testing kits, in addition to receiving free kits through the mail, testing kits can be purchased over the counter and . Plans are required to provide reimbursement for eight tests per month for each individual on the plan, regardless of whether the tests are bought all at once or at separate times throughout the month. The public is encouraged to contact their insurer to find out the kinds of documentation their insurance is requiring for reimbursement.
ADEA, Other Organizations to Hold Webinar on PSLF Program and New Temporary Waiver

 

ADEA in partnership with the PSLF Coalition, American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) and Equal Justice Works will hold a webinar on Wednesday, Feb. 2, regarding the Department of Education’s (ED) recent announcement of a temporary waiver for potential beneficiaries of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.

 

For a limited time, ED will allow borrowers to receive credit toward loan forgiveness under the PSLF Program for loan payments that otherwise would not qualify towards the number of payments needed to earn forgiveness.

 

The webinar will give an overview of the waiver and which types of loans and loan payments will now qualify, explain what borrowers need to do to prove employment and earn credit for past periods of repayment and share helpful resources. Please register for the Feb. 2 webinar . NOTE: Only the Feb. 2 webinar is geared towards health care providers.

State Legislatures Begin Sessions

 

Most of the U.S. state legislatures are in full swing as more than 40 recently began . This year, sessions are expected to be a little shorter than last, as most states are in the second year of a two-year legislative session and many are meeting during an . Typically, this results in fast-moving legislative decisions. Bill filing also has come rapidly in several states.

 

ADEA Advocacy and Government Relations (AGR) has begun flagging bills of interest, which can be viewed on . Some recently filed bills that ADEA AGR is keeping an eye on include:

  • A bill in that would add dental benefits for pregnant adults enrolled in Medicaid;
  • Bills in , , and that would create or expand already existing student loan repayment programs for oral health professionals;
  • Legislation that would authorize the practice of dental therapy in and , and a bill in that would remove laws that restrict dental therapists to only practicing tribal lands;
  • Bills that expand licensure portability in , and ; and
  • Finally, a bill in that would allow candidates for initial licensure to demonstrate clinical skills on a manikin rather than a live patient.

These are only a handful of the many bills monitored by ADEA AGR. The team will continue to monitor and update members on these bills and others as state legislative sessions unfold.
New Benefits and Increased Reimbursement Implemented in Minnesota Medicaid

 

Earlier this month, Minnesota began implementation of a intended to increase provider participation in the state’s Medicaid program. The state’s recently enacted updated rates that were established nearly 30 years ago, and also simplified the state’s reimbursement structure to ensure providers receive the same reimbursement for the same services.

 

Additionally, the state updated its to reflect the addition of new dental benefits. Those updates included new codes for periodontic procedures for children and pregnant people, as well as new codes for endodontic and periodontic procedures for non-pregnant adults.

 

Finally, the state also implemented new benchmarks for managed care programs. Health care plans will be expected to meet state-established goals that require at least 45% of enrollees having an annual dental visit in 2022, increasing to 55% by 2024. If any managed care organization is unable to meet that benchmark, the state’s Department of Human Services plans to carve out the dental benefit and administer dental coverage directly for all public program enrollees.

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

  • Provider Relief Fund Reporting
  • ADEA regarding vaccines at the state level
  • ADEA on teledentistry
  • ADEA on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on U.S. Dental Schools
  • ADEA policy regarding overprescription of antibiotics
  • For a full list of ADEA memos, briefs and letters click .

 

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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American Dental Education Association

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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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