Bill > H60

Introduced Session

AN ACT TO MODERNIZE MEDICAID DENTAL RATES. Whereas, good oral health is vital to good overall health, and untreated oral health conditions negatively affect overall health and have associations with chronic disease, including diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, Alzheimer's disease, and even mental illness; and Whereas, the failure to adjust reimbursement rates to account for increasing inflation and costs over the last fifteen years has resulted in reduced dental provider participation in Medicaid; and Whereas, regular preventative dental care is the most cost effective method available to prevent minor oral conditions from developing into more complex oral and physical health conditions that would eventually require emergency and palliative care; and Whereas, in order to improve overall health and access to quality care, increase provider participation in Medicaid, and prevent future health conditions caused by overall health problems, it is in the best interest of the State to raise Medicaid reimbursement rates paid to dental care providers from 35% to 46% of the average dentist charges in 2023 in order to provide rates that are comparable with the Medicaid rates of surrounding states; Now, therefore,

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Brian Biggs (R)*,  Patricia Cotham (R)*,  Donny Lambeth (R)*,  Larry Potts (R)*,  Jonathan Almond (R),  Amber Baker (D),  Cynthia Ball (D),  Mary Belk (D),  Hugh Blackwell (R),  Kanika Brown (D),  Terry Brown (D),  Deb Butler (D),  Grant Campbell (R),  Becky Carney (D),  Richard Carver (R),  Maria Cervania (D),  Mike Clampitt (R),  Tracy Clark (D),  Bryan Cohn (D),  Mike Colvin (D),  Sarah Crawford (D),  Carla Cunningham (I),  Julia Greenfield (D),  Pricey Harrison (D),  Frances Jackson (D),  Neal Jackson (R),  Ray Jeffers (D),  Monika Johnson-Hostler (D),  Ya Liu (D),  Donnie Loftis (R),  Brandon Lofton (D),  Carolyn Logan (D),  Tim Longest (D),  Jordan Lopez (D),  Nasif Majeed (I),  Jeff McNeely (R),  Marcia Morey (D),  Ben Moss (R),  Howard Penny (R),  Ray Pickett (R),  Garland Pierce (D),  Rodney Pierce (D),  Lindsey Prather (D),  Renée Price (D),  Amos Quick (D),  Tim Reeder (R),  Robert Reives (D),  Heather Rhyne (R),  James Roberson (D),  Stephen Ross (R),  Phil Rubin (D),  Mike Schietzelt (R),  Charles Smith (D),  Steve Tyson (R),  Bill Ward (R),  Harry Warren (R),  Donna White (R),  Shelly Willingham (D),  Matthew Winslow (R), 

Ref to the Com on Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House (on 02/06/2025)

Bill Topics

Official Document