The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released an informational bulletin Friday that clarifies the legality of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and look alikes contracting with private dentists for Medicaid- and CHIP-covered services. The 2009 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) stipulated that states cannot prevent health centers from entering into contracting relationships with private dentists, however, the new bulletin clarifies the CHIPRA provision further. Read the full bulletin here. 

   

CDHP has updated its handbook on FQHC dental contracting, to include the bulletin and reflect changes since the last iteration of the document. This latest development ensures that health centers can provide necessary services to their patients, reduces their need for expensive capitalization of dental facilities and equipment, reduces their staffing requirements, expands the number of available dental providers in their communities, and expand access to dental services for those who need it most.

CDHP recently released Moving on the Dental Care Provisions in Health Reform, the second of two whitepapers on the benefits of fully funding and implementing the many oral health-related provisions in the Affordable Care Act.  Both papers are available on the CDHP website along with a summary document,  ACA: Fulfilling the Pledge to Improve America's Oral Health.

 

CDHP also recently released, Access to Child-Only Supplemental Dental Coverage Through CHIPRA: A Handbook for Advocates and Policymakers,

a step-by-step guide for states looking to implement optional child-only supplemental dental coverage through CHIP.