- CMS: Medicare Program; Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model
- Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction Model
- CMS: Secretarial Comments on the CBE's (Battelle Memorial Institute) 2024 Activities: Report to Congress and the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services
- HHS: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Marketplace Integrity and Affordability
- HRSA Announces Action to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs for Life-Saving Medications at Health Centers Nationwide
- Public Inspection: HHS: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Marketplace Integrity and Affordability
- Increased Risk of Cyber Threats Against Healthcare and Public Health Sector
- Eight Hospitals Selected for First Cohort of Rural Hospital Stabilization Program
- Announcing the 2030 Census Disclosure Avoidance Research Program
- CMS: Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2026 Rates; Requirements for Quality Programs; and Other Policy Changes; Correction
- CMS: Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2026 Rates; Requirements for Quality Programs; and Other Policy Changes; Correction
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly; Correction
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly; Correction
- CMS: Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026
- CMS: Medicare Program; FY 2026 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
Hospital Utilization for Non-Traumatic Dental Conditions in Oregon from 2013 to 2015
Access to oral health benefits is a state by state issue – either the coverage is uneven or totally lacking – and can result in costly trips to the hospital for non-traumatic dental conditions. The DentaQuest Partnership took an in-depth look into Emergency Department (ED) visits specifically in Oregon for non-traumatic dental conditions, and found a need for multi-level solutions, such as teledentistry, to decrease ED utilization across the state. Read the study here.
The Burden of Out-of-Pocket Expenditures for Dental Care on Medicare-Enrolled Elderly and Disabled
The DentaQuest Partnership’s latest report is a continuation of compelling research about how out-of-pocket spending on health care presents challenges for patients on fixed incomes. The report findings show that Medicare recipients pay for at least 75% of dental costs out-of-pocket, contributing to financial strain and poor oral health. Read the report.
Article Links Teeth Brushing with Reduced Diabetes Risk
A new Korean national health database suggests frequent brushing may be a factor for decreasing the risk of new-onset diabetes. The presence of periodontal disease and increased number of missing teeth may be associated with decreased risk of occurrence of new on-set diabetes.
Celebrate World Oral Health Day on March 20th!
World Oral Health Day is just over one week away. This year’s campaign is “Say Ahh: United for Mouth Health.” World Oral Health Day encourages policymakers to take action for better oral health outcomes tomorrow.
Report Explores Teledentistry in Rural Areas
A new report published in the National Conference of State Legislatures found that rural Americans are more likely to experience tooth decay than their urban counterparts. The report explores teledentistry as a solution to addressing the disparity and discusses states that have already introduced legislation to establish teledentistry and expand access to oral health services.
The Role of Dentists in Community Water Fluoridation
Dentistry Today published a column by Dr. Johnny Johnson of the American Fluoridation Society. The column salutes the role of dentists in the history of fluoridation and encourages dental professionals to have conversations about fluoride with their patients.
Dental Public Health Resource
The Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) released a “Dental Public Health 101” learning module. Dental Public Health focuses on dental and oral health issues in communities and populations rather than individuals.
Exploring Alternative Payment Models for Oral Health Care
In January 2020, the DentaQuest Partnership published an article in Decisions in Dentistry that evaluated Medicaid claims of alternative payment models (APMs) and fee for service (FFS). Key takeaways from the their study demonstrated that:
- In 2016, the Center for Health Care Strategies noted “states may be able to use their purchasing power to encourage better access, quality and accountability in oral health care for children in Medicaid — particularly through contracting with dental plans.”
- This analysis of a national sample of Medicaid dental claims found an approximate 6% increase (from 27% to 33%) in dental claims associated with APMs from 2013 to 2017.
- The costs over the lifespan for APMs were lower than traditional FFS models, while utilization was better in the APM plans.
- Dental utilization in this sampling was highest during pediatric care and sharply declines within the 20s, before remaining low for the rest of the lifespan.
Oral Health Coalition Releases 2019 Annual Report
The Pennsylvania Coalition for Oral Health (PCOH) has released their annual report for 2019 detailing accomplishments for the year. They extend a heartfelt thank you to their 2019 stakeholders, sponsors, and financial partners!
2020’s States with the Best & Worst Dental Health – WalletHub Study
With February being National Children’s Dental Health Month and about 15 percent of children aged 2-17 having not seen a dentist in the past year, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2020’s States with the Best & Worst Dental Health as well as accompanying videos.
In order to determine which places have the healthiest teeth and gums in the U.S., WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 26 key metrics. The data set ranges from share of adolescents who visited a dentist in the past year to dental treatment costs to share of adults with low life satisfaction due to oral condition.
|
States with the Best Dental Health |
States with the Worst Dental Health |
|
| 1. Wisconsin | 42. Florida | |
| 2. Illinois | 43. Kentucky | |
| 3. Minnesota | 44. Alaska | |
| 4. District of Columbia | 45. Texas | |
| 5. Connecticut | 46. Alabama | |
| 6. North Dakota | 47. Louisiana | |
| 7. Michigan | 48. Montana | |
| 8. Massachusetts | 49. West Virginia | |
| 9. Idaho | 50. Arkansas | |
| 10. Iowa | 51. Mississippi |
Best vs. Worst
- Rhode Island has the lowest share of the population who couldn’t afford more dental visits due to costs, 37.00 percent, which is two times lower than in Georgia, the state with the highest at 74.00 percent.
- Utah has the most dentists per 100,000 residents, 55, which is 3.1 times more than in Louisiana, the state with the fewest at 18.
- The District of Columbia has the highest share of the population receiving fluoridated water, 100.00 percent, which 8.8 times higher than in Hawaii, the state with the lowest at 11.30 percent.
- Minnesota, Hawaii and Illinois have the lowest share of adults with poor or fair oral condition, 22.00 percent, which is 1.8 times lower than in Montana, the state with the highest at 40.00 percent.
To view the full report and your state or the District’s rank, please visit: https://wallethub.com/edu/states-with-best-worst-dental-health/31498/