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American Dental Education Association
Volume 2, No. 83, January 18, 2023
Biden Administration Extends the Public Health Emergency
The Biden administration extended the Public Health Emergency (PHE) [ [link removed] ] until April 11, 2023. This is the 12th time the PHE has been extended. The regulatory flexibilities initiated under the PHE, including telehealth requirements and Medicaid eligibility coverage extensions, will remain in effect during the PHE. Though some of these flexibilities have been extended by other legislation. The administration cites the rise of the new Omicron subvariant as the reason for the extension.
Though the Biden administration will not comment on the prospect of further extensions, many believe that this will be the final PHE extension. Though the administration has agreed to give stakeholders a 60-day advance notice prior to the PHE’s end.
However, Republicans have called for the PHE to end now. They have already announced investigations into the U.S. COVID response, and the various extensions of the PHE will likely be part of the investigations as well.
U.S. Department of Education Announces Proposed Regulatory Changes for IDR Student Loan Payment Plans
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced proposed regulations that would substantially change income-driven loan repayment programs. “The proposed regulations would create the most affordable income-driven repayment (IDR) plan that has ever been made available to student loan borrowers, simplify the program, and eliminate common pitfalls that have historically delayed borrowers' progress toward forgiveness,” according to ED.
Here are a few of the highlights of the proposed regulations:
• The regulations would amend the Revised Pay As You Earn (REPAYE) plan by changing repayment rates for borrowers on their undergraduate loans from 10% of their monthly discretionary income to only 5% of their monthly discretionary income. The formula used to calculate discretionary income would be tweaked, taking in account the borrower’s basic needs, which in turn lowers overall monthly costs.
• Borrowers who have only graduate school related loans would still pay 10% of their monthly discretionary income. The new discretionary income formula would also be used for graduate loans.
• Borrowers who have loans for both graduate and undergraduate studies would pay between 5% and 10% monthly discretionary income—based upon a weighted average calculated from the share of their original loan balances borrowed for undergraduate versus graduate study.
• Though graduate loans would be eligible for the IDR plan, ParentPlus loans will not be eligible.
• Borrowers with an income below $30,500 per year would not be required to make monthly payments on their loans. If a borrower is not required to make monthly payments, no interest will accrue on the account while in a zero monthly payment status.
• Under the proposed plan, borrowers’ loan balances will not grow as long as they make their monthly payments. With the proposed IDR plan, a borrower would continue to have their monthly payment first applied to interest, but if it is not sufficient to cover that amount, any remaining interest would not be charged to the account. To further simplify repayment, the Department would phase out new enrollments for student borrowers in the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and income-contingent repayment plans and limit the circumstances where a borrower can later switch into the income-based repayment plan.
The proposed rule is available online. The public comment period is open until Friday, Feb. 10. The ED expects to both finalize the rules and start implementing some provisions later this year, subject to any changes made based on public comments. A fact sheet with further information is also available.
2023 ADEA/AADOCR/Friends of NIDCR Advocacy Day
On Thursday, March 30, 2023, the American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR), the Friends of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (FNIDCR) and the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) will join forces for a 2023 Advocacy Day [ [link removed] ] on Capitol Hill.
For the first time since 2019, this event will be held in-person on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Participants will receive a legislative briefing and training session on March 29 (in-person or virtual) that will feature speakers from Congress, the Biden administration and the NIDCR. The following day, March 30, will be dedicated to group meetings on Capitol Hill with targeted congressional offices, including participants’ own elected officials.
The deadline to register [ [link removed] ] for the 2023 Advocacy Day is February 16.
Connecticut Expands Medicaid to Include Income Eligible Children, Regardless of Immigration Status
On Jan. 1, Connecticut expanded its state Medicaid program to include all income eligible children under age 12 [ [link removed] ] , regardless of immigration status. The state had previously included all children under age 8, regardless of immigration status, and further expanded eligibility in last year’s state budget bill [ [link removed] ] . All children from families who earn up to 201% of the federal poverty level qualify, and children from families that earn between 201% and 325% of the federal poverty level may qualify if the family’s assets are determined to be below a specified amount. Children who qualify will continue to receive coverage until the age of 19.
A bill was filed [ [link removed] ] during this year’s legislative session that would further expand Medicaid eligibility to include all income eligible people regardless of age or immigration status.
Maryland Official Files Proposal to Add Dental Benefits for Enrolled Adults
The Maryland Department of Health has a filed a notice of proposed action [ [link removed] ] that if implemented would add dental benefits for adults enrolled in the state’s Medicaid program. The proposal follows the passage of legislation [ [link removed] ] in 2022 that required the state to add dental benefits for adult enrollees. The proposed rules would also allow for the reimbursement of services delivered via telehealth. A complete list of services that would be covered can be found in the Code of Maryland Regulations Section 10.09.05.04 B.
Comments can be sent to
[email protected] [ [link removed] ] and will be accepted through Monday, Jan. 30.
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
• Applications open [ [link removed] ] for Ryan White Part F Dental Reimbursement Program
• Applications open [ [link removed] ] for HRSA Dental Public Health Research Fellowship
• ADEA report [ [link removed] ] on teledentistry
• 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] ] .
Key Federal Issues [ [link removed] ]
ADEA U.S. Interactive Legislative and Regulatory Tracking Map [ [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.
©2023
American Dental Education Association
655 K Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20001
Tel: 202-289-7201
Website: www.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
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