Medicare dental benefit not included in House of Representatives-passed legislation

Washington - The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better legislative package Nov. 19 without an expansion of dental benefits within the Medicare program. The legislation now moves to the Senate.

In an Issues Alert email, ADA President Cesar R. Sabates, D.D.S., reiterated that the ADA's policy calls for any proposed dental benefit legislation to be sufficiently funded and efficiently administered, and said the proposed Part B dental benefit did not meet those criteria.

"The ADA's advocacy - including nearly 60,000 grassroots emails sent to Congress by dentists - helped ensure that the proposed Part B benefit was not included in the Build Back Better package passed by the House," Dr. Sabates wrote.

As the Senate continues discussing this legislation, the ADA remains committed to advocating for the ADA policy that works to ensure access to oral health care for low-income seniors.

The ADA will continue to update member dentists on this issue.

"Thank you for being an advocate," the alert concluded.