e-mail Print Share

Medicaid and CHIP

The ADA works closely with lawmakers, regulators, and others to help mend the tattered dental safety net. This includes reforming parts of the Medicaid program, which is the largest source of funding for medical and other health-related services for people with low income in the United States. The ADA is also fighting to maintain federal requirement for states to cover dental services in their respective CHIP programs, which together cover nearly 8 million children from low-income families.

Priorities
The Association's priorities are based on the major policies and positions (PDF) (Members Only) adopted by the ADA House of Delegates.
- Maintaining the federal requirement for states to cover dental services under the Medicaid Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) program.
- Requiring states to cover dental services for Medicaid-eligible adults, and exempt all preventive dental services from cost-sharing requirements.
- Preserving the federal financing role in the Medicaid program and update the federal matching formula to address economic changes.
- Enhancing the federal Medicaid matching rate to 90/10 for dental care.
- Maintaining the federal requirement for states to cover dental services in their respective CHIP programs.
In Congress
- August 11, 2021—Coalition Letter (PDF) of support to Senators Chuck Schumer, Ron Wyden and Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Frank Pallone, Jr. for legislation, H.R. 4439 the Medicaid Dental Benefit Act, which would make adult dental services a mandatory coverage category for all adults in Medicaid.
- April 27, 2021—Coalition Letter from the Partnership for Medicaid to Senators Warnock and Warner expressing support for the SAME Act.
- April 15, 2021—Letter thanking Senator Stabenow for introducing S. 560 the Oral Health for Moms Act, which expands dental coverage for women during their pregnancy and postpartum.
- March 23, 2021—Coalition Letter (PDF) thanking Senators Cardin and Stabenow for introducing S. 448 the Ensuring Kids Have Access to Medically Necessary Dental Care Act, which will eliminate the annunal and life time dollar limits on dental care provided under CHIP.
- March 12, 2021—Coalition Letter (PDF) Partnership for Medicaid Letter thanking Senators Bob Casey, Catherine Cortez Masto, and Representative Susie Lee for introducing the Coronavirus Medicaid Response Act, which would provide an automatic FMAP increase for State Medicaid programs.
- October 13, 2020—Letter (PDF) of support to U.S. Rep. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan for legislation, H.R. 6495 the Insular Area Medicaid Parity Act, that would lift the Medicaid funding cap in the U.S. Territories.
- February 5, 2020—Letter (PDF) of support to U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey for sponsoring House Resolution 826, expressing disapproval of recent Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services guidance on Medicaid block grants, which would have a detrimental effect on Medicaid dental care.
- June 20, 2019—Letter (PDF) Partnership for Medicaid Coalition Letter on Medicaid Funding in US Territories
- January 18, 2018—Letter (PDF) urging congressional leaders to reauthorize Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
- December 14, 2017—Coalition letter (PDF) urging congressional leaders to reauthorize Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
- September 1844, 2017—Coalition letter (PDF) urging Senate leaders to reject proposed changes to the Medicaid program in the health care reform proposal offered by Sens. Lindsay Graham and Bill Cassidy.
- September 13, 2017—Coalition letter (PDF) urging the Senate Committee on Finance to prioritize reauthorizing the Children's Health Insurance Program before its budgetary authority expires on September 30, 2017.
- July 17, 2017—Letter (PDF) urging members of the United States Senate to reject drastic reductions to the Medicaid program when considering health care reform legislation in the 115th Congress.
- June 12, 2017—Coalition letter (PDF) urging House and Senate leaders to enact a long-term funding extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
- June 9, 2017—Coalition letter (PDF) urging members of the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Budget Committee to protect access to dental services in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) when considering health care reform legislation in the 115th Congress.
- February 27, 2017—Coalition letter (PDF) urging members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce to protect and enhance dental coverage in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) when considering health care reform legislation in the 115th Congress.
- February 27, 2017—Coalition letter (PDF) urging members of the Senate Finance Committee to protect and enhance dental coverage in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) when considering health care reform legislation in the 115th Congress.
- January 11, 2017—Letter (PDF) urging House leaders to protect and enhance dental coverage in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) when considering health care reform legislation in the 115th Congress.
- January 11, 2017—Letter (PDF) urging Senate leaders to protect and enhance dental coverage in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) when considering health care reform legislation in the 115th Congress.
Federal and State Agencies
- September 21, 2021—Coalition Letter (PDF) to CMS revisiting the dental community’s continued concerns with beneficiary access to covered, facility-based dental surgeries.
- July 30, 2021—Coalition Letter (PDF) Coalition letter revisiting ongoing issues related to coding for hospital-based dental procedures and anesthesia.
- July 21, 2021—Coalition Letter (PDF) from the Partnership for Medicaid, of which the ADA is a member, to the new Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and outlines several of the Partnership’s ongoing priorities for Medicaid.
- July 16, 2021—Letter (PDF) congratulating Deputy Administrator Daniel Tsai on his appointment as Deputy Administrator and Director of CMCS and looking forward to working with CMCS on a number of areas including Medicaid and health equity.
- June 9, 2021—Letter (PDF) congratulating Administrator Brooks-LaSure on her confirmation as Administrator of the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and offering to work with CMS on a number of areas including Medicaid and health equity.
- February 12, 2021—Coalition Letter (PDF) to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) urging the agency to appoint Dr. Natalia Chalmers to the permanent Chief Dental Officer position.
- November 17, 2020—Coalition Letter (PDF) Following up on meeting that ADA and AAPD held with Ms. Carol Blackford of CMS.
- October 2, 2020—Coalition Letter (PDF) Comments to CMS Administrator Seema Verma about updating the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System in order to improve patient access to dental procedures in hospitals and surgery centers.
- April 17, 2020—Letter (PDF) to Secretary Azar of HHS and Administrator Verma of CMS requesting Medicaid relief funds for Dentists.
- March 5, 2020—Letter (PDF) to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar thanking him for announcing the appointment of a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Chief Dental Officer, and asking for more information.
- February 5, 2020—Letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services expressing concerns about the impact Medicaid block grants would have on Medicaid dental care
- November 6, 2019—American Dental Association, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Nebraska Dental Association, and the Nebraska Society of Pediatric Dentistry letter expressing concerns about pediatric Medicaid dental audits
- September 13, 2019—American Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, and American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Letter (PDF) on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposal to rescind the Medicaid access rule.
- September 13, 2019—Partnership for Medicaid letter (PDF) coalition letter on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' proposal to rescind the Medicaid access rule.
- January 11, 2019—Coalition letter (PDF) commenting on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed rule on Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Managed Care.
- May 22, 2018—Coalition letter (PDF) urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reconsider proposed changes to the Medicaid access rule.
ADA News
Related stories from the dental profession's most widely read news source, ADA News.
- House passes resolution aimed at better serving Medicaid population (ADA News 11/29/18)
- California state budget increases Denti-Cal reimbursement rates (ADA News 7/30/18)
- Kentucky reverses itself on Medicaid dental cuts after uproar (ADA News 7/27/2018)
- HPI report: More Medicaid kids seeing dentists (ADA News 7/25/2018)
- Guide, webinar connects dentists with Medicaid resources (ADA News 6/26/2018)
- Health organizations urge CMS not to change Medicaid Access Rule (ADA News 5/23/2018)
- Maryland bill authorizes Medicaid adult dental coverage pilot program (ADA News 5/16/2018)
- 39 percent of U.S. dentists participate in Medicaid or CHIP for child dental services (ADA News 3/14/2018)
- ADA outlines priorities for oral health to new HHS secretary (ADA News 2/14/2018)
- Congress extends CHIP for 10 years (ADA News 2/13/2018)
- Congress reauthorizes CHIP, ADA thanks dentists for their grassroots efforts (ADA News 1/23/2018)
- ADA asks Congress to prioritize CHIP, repeal medical device tax (ADA News 1/18/2018)
- ADA makes case for CHIP’s public health and prevention fund in email (ADA News 12/19/2017)
- ADA, AAPD urge Congress to reauthorize CHIP (ADA News 12/14/2017)
- ADA: Ask your senators to reauthorize CHIP (ADA News 11/28/17)
- ADA resolution calls for peer to peer Medicaid audits (ADA News 11/9/2017)
- Webinar to help dentists understand, create Medicaid compliance plan (ADA News 10/23/17)
- ADA weighs in on HHS strategic plan (ADA News 10/18/17)
- ADA, others ask Congress to extend children's coverage (ADA News 10/2/17)
- ADA, AAPD urge Senate to prioritize oral health care in ACA reform (ADA News 9/13/17)
- ADA urges Senate to reject cuts to Medicaid (ADA News 7/18/17)
- ADA offers input during HHS meeting with Sec. Tom Price (ADA News 6/22/17)
- ADA, others ask Senate to prioritize oral health (ADA News 6/12/17)
- ADA, Partnership for Medicaid ask Senate to remain committed to Medicaid (ADA News 5/24/17)
- House passes American Health Care Act (ADA News 5/4/17)
- ADA Dentist and Student Lobby Day kicks off in D.C. (ADA News 3/27/17)
- House vote on AHCA set for March 23 (ADA News 3/22/17)
- Association continues to advocate for key oral health issues (ADA News 3/14/17)
- ADA to Congress: Prioritize oral health in ACA reform (ADA News 3/8/17)
- ADA weighs in on ACA repeal (ADA News 1/17/17)

Contacts

Government and Public Affairs

Washington Office
202.898.2400
Email: govtpol@ada.org

State Government Affairs
312.440.2525
Email: govtpol@ada.org

American Dental Political Action Committee (ADPAC)
202.898.2424
Email: adpac@ada.org

Media Relations

Journalists may contact the media relations department at:

Media Relations
312.440.2806
Email: mediarelations@ada.org

Center for Professional Success (CPS)

Questions about government rules and regulations? Explore the ADA Center for Professional Success. (Members Only)

Other Questions?

For all other questions or inquiries, please contact us.

Prepared by: Division of Government and Public Affairs
Last Updated: November 11, 2019

Tools for Policymakers >

What's happening in your state? Find state-specific data on oral health status, dental care use, dentist-to-population ratios, Medicaid participation rates, and more.

Find State Data

Medicaid and CHIP

Government and Public Affairs

Media Relations

Center for Professional Success (CPS)

Other Questions?

Advocacy