- Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026
- Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: Fiscal Year 2026 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
- CMS: Request for Information; Health Technology Ecosystem
- VA: Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program Funding Opportunity
- State: 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: J-1 Visa Waiver Recommendation Application
- Public Inspection: CMS: Request for Information: Health Technology Ecosystem
- HHS: Request for Information (RFI): Ensuring Lawful Regulation and Unleashing Innovation To Make American Healthy Again
- VA: Solicitation of Nominations for the Appointment to the Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs
- GAO Seeks New Members for Tribal and Indigenous Advisory Council
- VA: Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program Funding Opportunity
- Telehealth Study Recruiting Veterans Now
- USDA Delivers Immediate Relief to Farmers, Ranchers and Rural Communities Impacted by Recent Disasters
- Submit Nominations for Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) Committees
- Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation of the Medicare Program (Executive Order 14192) - Request for Information
- Dr. Mehmet Oz Shares Vision for CMS
New Resources on Fluoride Varnish and Silver Diamine Fluoride
The National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center at Georgetown University recently published “Fluoride Varnish and Silver Diamine Fluoride: A Resource Guide.” The guide provides descriptions of materials on data and surveillance, professional education and training, and public education.
ED Utilization for Non-Traumatic Dental Conditions
The ASTDD Dental Public Health Policy Committee released a new policy statement on “Reducing Emergency Department Utilization for Non-Traumatic Dental Conditions.” Seeking care in emergency departments for non-traumatic dental conditions has increased substantially in recent years. Reported barriers to oral health care include misdistribution of dentists in rural areas and the cost of dental treatment.
Community Health Choices in PA
Community Health Choices (CHC) is now active across the entire state of Pennsylvania effective January 1, 2020. CHC is Pennsylvania’s mandatory managed care program for individuals 21 years or older and have both Medicare and Medicaid or receive long-term services and supports through Medicaid. One of CHC’s goals is to improve coordination between Medicare and Medicaid so participants experience better services and outcomes. Billing will not change for Medicare services, but it may change how service providers bill Medicaid and Medicare for coinsurance and deductibles. Click here for more information.
Submit Comments on Proposed Fee Regulations
The State Board of Dentistry is seeking input on proposed fee regulations. The regulation proposes four changes detailed in the below document. The Board will review comments received at the May 15, 2020 meeting. Please submit all comments to RA-STRegulatoryCounsel@pa.gov and reference 16A04634 (Fees). Submit comments by February 20, 2020.
Click here to view the proposed free regulations.
Click here to submit comments.
Dental Sealants and Community Health Webinar
The American Dental Association (ADA) is offering “Seal the Deal: Dental Sealants and Community Health,” a free webinar on February 6 at 3 p.m. ET. Three dental providers will share their expertise on dental sealants.
Finding a Dental Provider Survey
As the state oral health coalition, the Pennsylvania Coalition for Oral Health is gathering information on how Pennsylvanians find and get to the dental office. Please take the survey and share the links with your networks. The survey takes less than five minutes to complete and is anonymous. The deadline is February 12, 2020.
Click here to take the survey in English.
Click here to take the survey in Spanish.
Exploring Alternative Payment Models for Oral Health Care
Can alternative payment methods (APM) transform dentistry? Under our current system, the United States pays the most for health care and achieves the lowest performance among comparable countries. The DentaQuest Partnership for Oral Health Advancement analyzes how this applies to dentistry – and how APMs can make a difference. As more states use their purchasing power to encourage better access, quality and accountability in oral health care for children in Medicaid, growth of APMs will continue in dentistry. Learn how the approach works, as the costs were lower than traditional fee for service models, while utilization was higher in the APM plans. Read the article here.
Confronting the Nation’s Oral Health Crisis
With 61 percent of U.S. adults rating oral health as “fair” or “poor” and 51 percent listing it as their top health concern, there’s no question that our national oral health care system is failing the majority of Americans. Read Confronting the Nation’s Oral Health Crisis.
Medicaid Adult Dental Benefits Increase Access and Reduce Out-of-Pocket Expenditures
Part 2 of a research report from the DentaQuest Partnership for Oral Health Advancement demonstrates how Medicaid, with its limited dental coverage, significantly improved adults’ access and utilization of dental services, compared to those who lack medical coverage. Read the report.
New Oral Health During Pregnancy Resource from OHRC
The Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC) recently released “Promoting Oral Health During Pregnancy: Update on Activities.” This is the seventh in a series of updates to highlight national, state, and local activities focusing on oral health care for pregnant women. The update includes briefs, guides, handouts, reports, toolkits, and trainings for health professionals and consumers.